At Bok, located at 1901 S. 9th St., Principal Larry Melton warned students via a public address announcement that no trouble would be tolerated, Gallard said. Melton also left a phone message for all Bok parents.
The incident happened on the school's sixth floor during a class change. Gallard said a group of students began chanting "Freshmen! Freshmen!" just before the attack.
Police said that a school police officer and his partner noticed a large crowd of students gathered and moved forward to disperse the crowd. As they did, they heard another commotion on the same floor and moved toward it.
They turned a corner and saw another large crowd of students, most of whom fled when the officers approached. The officers saw a 14-year-old Asian boy crouched against a hallway wall as an assailant punched him in the face and on the side of his head.
When the assailant spotted the officers, he took off running. They tracked him down and he was charged with assault and related offenses, police said.
The name of the 14-year-old attacker is not being released because of his age.
The victim told police that he and a friend, a 15-year-old Asian student, were walking to class when the 15-year-old was attacked by a group of 10 students.
The 14-year-old went to help his friend, and was then himself attacked.
Early reports indicate that race was not a motivating factor in the attacks, school officials said.
The arrested student will be recommended for expulsion, according to officials.
No other Freshman Day incidents were reported at Bok, Edison or Washington.
Contact staff writer Kristen Graham at 215-854-5146 or kgraham@phillynews.com.
