North Central Student Stabbed At High School, Superintendent Pleads For Violence To Stop

The superintendent of the Washington Township Schools district is asking for the community’s help to end violence after a North Central High School student was stabbed with a knife by another student on the campus Wednesday morning.

This comes after a 17-year-old male was shot and killed Monday on the Near Eastside while playing curb ball with his younger brother, and the city’s homicide rate continues to outpace prior years.

According to the school district, two senior students started verbally arguing when they arrived outside of the school.The disagreement continued once the students were inside the building, and one student struck the other student with a knife.

Staff intervened and the injured student received medical attention from a school nurse before he was transported to a hospital. The suspect was taken into custody.

In a video message to parents and school staff, Washington Township Superintendent Nikki Woodson called for an end to violence and peace in the city.

“The fact is, since we started school, we have seen an increase in physical aggression by our students,” Woodson said. “The violence must stop so that our schools can remain safe places to learn.”

North Central High School, on East 86th Street, enrolls more than 3,750 students in grades 9-12.

READ MORE: Key To Ending Youth Violence Is Support, Empowerment, Say NAACP Panelists

Woodson said the district will review its safety protocols. The Washington Township Police Department and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department are excepted  review the altercation. But Woodson, the parent of two North Central students, said the district needs the help of the community in order to prevent new acts of violence.

“Parents, we need your help monitoring your child’s social media,” Woodson said. “Many of the incidents being addressed in schools are from situations that originate on social media. In recent weeks, city leaders have stood in front of media pleading with our community to stop the violence we are experiencing in Marion County. I am sharing this message with the same level of urgency for our schools.”

In response to the stabbing, North Central students were dismissed from school at 10 a.m. and all after school activities were canceled. School will resume on Thursday with additional security, as well as councilors for students and staff who need support, according to the district 

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Contact WFYI education reporter Elizabeth Gabriel at egabriel@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @_elizabethgabs.