PD: Substitute teacher ran 'fight club' at school

Police have charged 23-year-old Ryan Fish, of Bozrah, with four counts of reckless endangerment as well as two counts of risk of injury to a minor, and second-degree breach of peace.

After an in-depth investigation by the Montville Police Department that started in December 2017, police said they determined that Fish was supervising the fights in the classroom.

Police said the fights happened in October 2017.

Four victims, between the ages of 14 and 16, told police about the fights.

An arrest warrant says Fish watched and even encouraged the students. The warrant also says students recorded video clips on their phones and shared them on social media.

The students told police Fish even moved classroom trash cans out of the way so they can keep fighting each other.

The cell video reveals kids slapping each other, and another fight shows some kids punching each other in head and face.

When police asked Fish what happened during class, he told them "I would let them be teenagers and let them get their energy out."

In the arrest warrant, Fish told police he didn't set up the fights but he would watch them, and said "I will admit that I did at one point egg them on."

He also mentioned "the truth is I'm an idiot and wanted to be friend them." He also said "I'm immature."

Fish says he felt bad about the whole thing, saying "I would say I feel horrible about what happened to be honest. I didn't think it was ok, I didn't know what else to do."

Fish was a math substitute teacher at Montville High School and an employee of the Montville Board of Education. He was fired in October.

Fish is expected to appear in Norwich Superior Court on Thursday.