13-year-old wounded in Lindenhurst Middle School stabbing upgraded to fair condition
LINDENHURST, N.Y. -- There is encouraging news on the 13-year-old stabbed at a Long Island middle school on Monday.
Stony Brook University hospital now lists the victim in fair condition.
The school district announced late Tuesday it will begin random searches of students' bags beginning Wednesday.
The Lindenhurst Middle School hallway brawl was publicly posted on social media, eliciting prayers and outrage. Two boys are seen fighting in the middle of the school day, one bleeding profusely from the upper leg.
Because of their ages, CBS2 is not sharing their identities. The victim is only 13 and the child who police say used a six-inch knife is just 12.
"It's very sad to hear what these kids have to deal with. When I went to school, I didn't have to worry about stuff like this," parent Lenore Christie said.
"I feel for these kids. These kids don't deserve to see something like this," parent Henry Blum added.
The victim was saved by the quick action of a school security guard who applied a life-saving tourniquet. Police say after emergency surgery, his condition is now fair.
The bloody battle visibly traumatized students, who experts say are overwhelmed with violence on social media.
"Kids have been bullied almost since the beginning of time. Now it tends to be more violent, and guns and knives enter the picture a lot sooner than they ever did. I think part of that is just the desensitization that's happened to our kids," said Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds of the Family and Children's Association.
Reynolds says now is an opportunity for parents to start a dialogue.
"An ongoing discussion about how are you feeling about school? How are your friends doing? Is there anything going on that you're worried about that weighs on your mind?" Reynolds said.
While police have not said what prompted Monday's fight, parents are venting about what they say is ongoing fighting and bullying that is not promptly addressed.
"Threats to each other, fighting, bullying, making fun of each other. And then they got to go to school here for six hours a day and how do they learn like that?" Diane Murphy said.
"They occur here constantly, in the hallways, stairwells, cafeterias, boys, girls," Marie Pardue said.
Pardue says the fighting is so common, there needs to be metal detectors in schools.
"Teachers are not respected, the staff is not respected, so I really feel that's the only way to weed out things that are going to happen," Marie Pardue said.
The next school board meeting is the night of April 25. Parents are urging attendance so that their voices are heard.