Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School is reeling from a violent encounter that took place on its campus Monday, resulting in one student’s death and another hospitalized with injuries.
The chaos unfolded at about 11 a.m. on Monday when a fight escalated to a deadly stabbing in the school’s gymnasium, News 13 reported.
The Raleigh Police Department, led by Chief Estella Patterson, swiftly responded to the scene after a school resource officer urgently called for EMS support due to a student being stabbed.
Upon arrival, authorities found two victims of the stabbing. Both were swiftly transported to a nearby hospital. Tragically, the 16-year-old victim succumbed to their injuries, while the second victim, a 15-year-old student, is currently receiving care for non-life-threatening wounds.
Chief Patterson indicated that the stabbing was the result of a large altercation, though the specifics of what led to the fight remain unclear.
The school immediately enacted a Code Red Lockdown, barring entry and exit to ensure the safety of all students and staff. The lockdown was a precautionary measure while police worked to secure the scene and apprehend the suspect.
In response to the crisis, school officials have declared that Tuesday classes will be canceled in the wake of the incident.
“Shortly after 11 a.m., our School Resource Officer reported that two students were stabbed during an altercation in the gymnasium. We went into a Code Red lockdown while law enforcement and school security quickly secured the scene and provided first-aid to the victims. Both victims were transported to the hospital. One of the students passed away. The second victim remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries,” according to the school’s principal.
It continued, “Our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones. Please keep them and all of those that have been impacted by this loss in your thoughts. While student privacy laws prevent me from sharing specific information about the victim, please know that the student who passed away was a valued member of our school community, and we grieve this loss alongside his loved ones.”
According to the Raleigh Police Department, police officers have secured a custody order for a 14-year-old suspect, who has been charged with murder as a juvenile as a result of the deadly altercation.
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Cherelle McLaughlin is the mother of one of the students involved in the fight. She told WRAL News her son was acting in self-defense and claimed he was concerned for his safety at the school.
“I don’t believe he took the knife into school,” McLaughlin said. “I believe he got the knife from somebody in the school because he did not go to school with a knife. I dropped him off at school, he did not go to school with it.”
Her son is seen wearing a red hoodie at the beginning of a video capturing the fight. WRAL News made numerous attempts to reach the victim’s family, but could not reach them.
Patterson said detectives are working to identify everyone involved in the altercation, and that it’s an ongoing investigation.
WATCH (Warning: Violent Content)
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