Student Violence Plagues Jackson Gas Station

Employees at Stop & Shop near Callaway High School say fights and crowds of students are driving away customers

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:10am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a broken glass bottle on the ground, capturing the harsh, gritty aftermath of student violence at a local gas station.Shattered remnants of student violence litter the grounds outside a Jackson gas station, exposing the escalating tensions between local businesses and the surrounding community.Jackson Today

Employees at a Stop & Shop gas station near Callaway High School in Jackson, Mississippi say they are dealing with daily issues of student violence, including fights and large crowds of students congregating at the store before school hours. The staff have hired security guards but say the students do not respect them, and the problems appear to be driving away customers. The school district and administration have not provided an official response to the situation.

Why it matters

The ongoing student violence and disruption at the Stop & Shop gas station highlights tensions between the local high school, its students, and the surrounding community. It raises questions about school supervision, student behavior, and the responsibility of the school administration to address issues that are impacting a local business.

The details

Employees at the Stop & Shop gas station say the problems often begin early in the morning, as parents drop off students well before the school day starts. They say large crowds of students congregate at the store, leading to frequent fights. The staff have hired security guards in the past, but the employees say the students do not respect the security. Footage provided by the employees shows hours of video of the fights and crowds. While the school district and Callaway High School administration have not provided an official comment, one employee believes the school should take more responsibility for the students' actions.

  • The issues at the Stop & Shop gas station have been ongoing for some time, with employees saying the problems occur on a daily basis.
  • Parents have been dropping off students at the gas station an hour and a half before the school day starts, which the employees say is contributing to the issues.

The players

Sam Dalati

An employee at the Stop & Shop gas station who says the student violence and crowds have become a major problem, driving away customers.

Callaway High School

The high school located across the street from the Stop & Shop gas station, whose students are the source of the ongoing violence and disruption at the store.

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What they’re saying

“We hired security before. The kids do not respect security.”

— Sam Dalati, Employee, Stop & Shop

“The parents drop their kids off an hour and a half before school even opens, which I don't know the reason why they give them that time to hang out. That's something I don't understand.”

— Sam Dalati, Employee, Stop & Shop

“I've never had anybody from the school come talk to us. The principal on down to the officers. Let's talk. It's for the better of the school and the kids, not us.”

— Sam Dalati, Employee, Stop & Shop

What’s next

The Stop & Shop employees say they hope the school administration will take responsibility for the student behavior and work with the store to address the ongoing issues. They believe more communication and coordination between the school and the business is needed to find a solution.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the challenges that local businesses can face when dealing with disruptive student behavior, and the importance of schools working closely with the surrounding community to address these types of issues. It raises questions about school supervision, student accountability, and the role of businesses in addressing problems that impact their operations.