Student stabs 2 teacher's aides at Castor Gardens Middle School in Philadelphia, police say
An 11-year-old is in police custody after authorities said he stabbed two teacher's aides at Castor Gardens Middle School in Northeast Philadelphia Tuesday.
The incident happened around noon at the school – formerly known as Woodrow Wilson Middle School – on the 1800 block of Cottman Avenue, a police spokesman said in an email.
Officials said an 11-year-old student with a developmental disability pulled out a kitchen knife in math class. Two teacher's aides who were in the classroom intervened and subdued the student until police arrived. Both aides were stabbed in the process and sustained superficial wounds, officials said.
"The cuts were so superficial, there was no blood on the scene, so we just made sure they were treated and both were OK," said Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore with the Philadelphia Police Department.
One victim, a 63-year-old woman, was stabbed on the left side of her body and was taken to a hospital by medics. Her condition was not immediately available. Another victim, a 31-year-old woman, was stabbed in the right arm. She refused medical treatment, according to police.
Police said an arrest was made and a weapon was recovered.
Castor Gardens Middle School has metal detectors, according to officials. School officials are investigating how the sixth-grader was able to bring a knife to school. The Office of School Safety is looking into whether the metal detectors were working on Tuesday.
According to the School District of Philadelphia, the middle school was in lockdown for an hour and a half and resumed normal operations once it was lifted. Many parents chose to pick their students up early, but some waited up to two hours to see their children.
"I was running to come see and out here and they don't let us in. We have to kick the door and fighting to let us in, and that's not fine," said Armando Aguilar, who's a father.
Castor Gardens Middle School sixth grader Sofia Santos described what it was like during the lockdown.
"We got scared and we were like oh, that's weird because ... we didn't think like there was ever going to be a lockdown here," Santos said. "So then, all my friends started calling their moms and parents."
While some students are shaken up, parents are outraged over the situation.
"I'm only talking because this is happening too often," Ashley Samuel, who's a mother, said. "It could have been a kid leaving out of here dead today."
Police are turning the case over to the Philadelphia district attorney's office. Authorities said they're unclear if any charges will be filed because the boy has a developmental disability.
"There's some developmental issues with the student," Monique Braxton, a spokesperson for the School District of Philadelphia, said. "I think it's important we give him some grace. We're not sure what triggered him today."
Braxton said additional safety officers will be at the school on Wednesday as well as members of the emergency crisis response team, which is part of the district's Office of Prevention and Intervention.