Docs: 30-man fight breaks out at Perry Meridian graduation ceremony, man arrested on gun charge

(WXIN/WTTV) — A man faces a felony charge after police say they found a gun on him while investigating a fight involving 30 people at the site of a Perry Meridian High School graduation ceremony.

Za H. Lian, an 18-year-old Greenwood resident, was officially charged Monday in Marion County with one count of Firearm Possession on School Property – a level 6 felony. Lian was arrested over the weekend by Perry Township School Police, who were working an event at Southport High School.

Police units assigned to a special detail Saturday at Southport were monitoring Perry Meridian High School’s graduation ceremony when reports came in of a physical altercation involving approximately 30 people. Officers were told one of the people involved may be armed.

The crowd allegedly dispersed before police arrived on scene, but officers later found someone who matched the description of the armed aggressor standing near door #4 of the school. The suspect, later identified as Lian, was reportedly “visibly nervous and sweating.”

Officers detained Lian and searched him, allegedly finding a fully loaded Glock handgun inside his waistband. He was then read his Miranda Rights, police said.

While interviewing Lian, the 18-year-old said he had attended the graduation ceremony with the firearm but denied being involved in any fight. The suspect also told police he did not intend to use the weapon and that he did not know it was illegal to bring a firearm onto school property.

Lian allegedly told officers that he had a prior firearm-related offense from when he was a juvenile in June 2024. He also expressed concern over the long-term consequences of a potential felony charge.

Police said that after the interview, Lian was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Justice Center for booking. Online records show Lian is being held on a $500 cash bond.

Lian was officially charged Monday in Marion Superior Court 36. An initial hearing in his case is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday in front of Judge Linda E. Brown.

In a statement to FOX59/CBS4, Perry Township Schools said the altercation and arrest occurred after the graduation ceremony and that the gun was never taken inside a building.

“Before allowing anyone inside the building, our weapons detection system was activated,” a spokesperson said. “Additionally, we had increased police presence from Perry Township Schools Police as well as neighboring departments to assist with security. Our weapons detection systems functioned as intended. Law enforcement acted diligently in identifying and apprehending the suspect.”