Juvenile petition filed for 16-year-old student after Durham school stabbing
Juvenile petitions have been filed against a 16-year-old student after a Monday fight and stabbing at Northern High School.
The Durham County Sheriff's Office said juvenile petitions were obtained for a male student on charges of possession of a weapon on school grounds and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury.
Due to age, the student's name will not be shared.
Another student was transported to a local hospital. Their name, age or condition was unknown.
On Monday the sheriff's office said a total of three students were detained for questioning.
Durham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Pascal Mubenga said an "unfortunate" incident involving multiple students occurred Monday around 11 a.m. at the school at 4622 N. Roxboro St.
On Tuesday, students, teachers and parents were still on edge.
One parent even told WRAL News their student was afraid to go back to school.
Mubenga told WRAL News counselors will be at the school Tuesday for students.
"Today we are very, very sad," said Mubenga.
No specific details about the fight were shared, but Durham Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said a knife-like "instrument" was involved, and one person sustained an injury consistent with a knife wound.
The school went under lockdown around 11 a.m. The police presence at 11:30 a.m. was small, with two State Highway Patrol vehicles and student resource officers on site.
Before 12:30 p.m., announcements over the loudspeaker at the high school said the lockdown would end momentarily.
At a 12:30 p.m. news conference, Birkhead said he could not share much about the incident because it was still unfolding.
Northern High School is a new school that opened on Tuesday, Sept. 5, the first day of school for students. The opening of the school was delayed in August after strong storms in Durham caused major damage.
Dawn Blagrove, an attorney with Emancipate NC, says with limited knowledge about three students who were questioned, one of two scenarios could play out.
"Depending on their ages, juvenile petitions could be taken out against them," she said.
The other option, according to Blagrove, is an approach known as "restorative justice." Restorative justice is a system of criminal justice which focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.
"Durham has a really terrific restorative justice program," Blagrove said. "This is the perfect situation to diffuse the situation; to have parties involved speak with one another [and] work through their grievances."
Some parents were at the school to take their children home as soon as the lockdown ended. Aaron Roper said his son, who's a freshman at Northern, texted him about the lockdown as it was happening.
"I don't know what changes can be made," Roper said, adding that his son no longer wanted to go to the school after the incident. "I think administrators have done an excellent job thus far. The problem is not at the administration level, it's at the home level."
Birkhead said there is no threat to the community or students, adding student resource officers and police officers responded quickly to "neutralize the threat."
Mubenga ensured parents the district took proper action against all involved in the fight.
"We are doing everything possible when it comes to discipline and the law enforcement, they are also involved to support us in this," he said.
A crash occurred outside the school, but it was unclear if it was related to the lockdown.
