14-Year-Old Student Stabbed Outside Middle School In New Rochelle
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A 13-year-old middle school student was charged Wednesday with stabbing a 14-year-old classmate before classes started in New Rochelle, police said.
As CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported, parents were worried for their children's safety in the wake of the incident. They were wondering how the student got a hold of the weapon and if he was able to carry it to school Wednesday morning.
A crossing guard called 911 after the older boy was stabbed in the chest near the Isaac Young Middle School, at 270 Centre Ave. in New Rochelle, just before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
"We had an altercation with two students from our eighth grade a block or so away on Trinity Place," Principal Anthony Bongo said.
Both students are enrolled in a morning program that meets before classes start. They left the school after the program ended and that was when the violence broke out, Bongo said.
"I saw some kid laying down right here with a blanket on him and two police officers right next to him," said student Adrian Lopez.
Community service officer Veronica Brown made the call for help.
"I ran over there. I radioed in for the police, and I applied pressure, along with her, to the wound," Brown said.
The victim was rushed by ambulance to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. The boy's injuries do not appear to be life threatening, police said.
"We were told the student is going to be fine," Bongo said.
A weapon has not been recovered.
The 13-year-old student walked back into school was taken into custody by New Rochelle youth officers. He has been charged as a juvenile delinquent with second-degree assault.
After the attack, the school was placed on lockdown and lock out; students were told to stay inside of their classrooms, CBS2's Doris reported.
"They just closed the blinds and locked the doors," student Adrian Lopez said.
"Anything of this magnitude where somebody is injured on the outside we take all precautions," Bongo said. "Everything was under control the entire time."
The lockdown was later lifted and classes resumed. At the end of the school day, parents nervously waited for their kids at dismissal outside of the school.
"I just want to try to get her out of here to this school, because a lot of stuff is going on over here," one man said.
But other parents did not wait that long. They wasted no time rushing to school in the morning and quickly pulling their children out when they received calls for help.
"He said: 'Somebody got stabbed, mommy! There's blood! Can you come pick me up?'" a mother said.
Bongo issued a robocall to students about the incident, pointing out that the stabbing took place off campus.
But parents were troubled by the probability that one of the students may have been armed while inside the building.
"I guess he planned it already, maybe, from the day before – I don't know," said parent Maricella Torres. "Maybe he always carries it with him. I don't know. They should be paying more attention to that."
The student who allegedly stabbed the boy was released to the custody of his mother and is due in Family Court later this week, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.
Police have not released a motive or found the weapon in the case.
Anyone who may have witnessed or has information relative to the investigation is urged to call the New Rochelle Police Department's Youth Office at (914) 654-2318.