2 teens charged in shooting, stabbing at Washburn High School
MINNEAPOLIS -- Charges have been filed against two teenage boys in connection with last week's shooting and stabbing incidents at Washburn High School.
Just after 7:30 p.m. last Thursday, officers responded to the school and found a 17-year-old boy with non-life threatening stab wounds to his lower back. Police say a large fight then occurred after the stabbing, and minutes later officers heard shots and found a 16-year-old boy with a gun in a nearby yard. That boy was taken into custody.
Chief Brian O'Hara says officers recovered a Glock handgun at the scene with a 50-round drum magazine.
During the fight, another teenager was hurt and taken to the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses told investigators the victim had been stabbed in the lower back during a Somali Culture night event. Principal Emily Palmer wrote in a note on Friday night that none of the four students involved in the incident were Washburn students.
As officers responded to the crowd, they heard shots, and saw what they believed to be muzzle flashes outside the school.
The 16-year-old boy is charged with possession of a weapon under the age of 18, and the 17-year-old is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. The 17-year-old is the one accused of stabbing another person; the complaint says he claimed he was defending himself, but clips posted on Twitter showed him stabbing the victim in the back.
Minneapolis Public Schools released a statement Friday morning saying they are "devastated that what started as a beautiful evening ended up with senseless violence." The statement also said that "Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is cooperating with police as they work on their investigation. ... MPS will continue to do everything we can to ensure student and staff safety at school events."