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Mother defends son after he's charged with assaulting a principal

SALISBURY, N.C. — The mother of a teen charged with assaulting a principal is defending her son.

Police arrested 17-year-old Michael Joseph after they say he and a group of other young men went onto the campus of Henderson Independent High School in Salisbury.

A fight started when the school's resource officer and principal approached the group.

Joseph's mother said he got involved with the wrong crowd.

"At the end of the day, I love my son," January Williams said. "I'm gonna be behind him 100 percent. But this is gonna be his wake up call. He'll start listening when I say, 'Don’t hang with everybody.’”

Principal Chris Vecchione talked with Eyewitness News on Friday.

He said he suffered strained ligaments in his arm, a broken nose and bruises on his head.