A student at North Atlanta High School was hospitalized after an altercation with another student escalated to violence outside the cafeteria last Friday morning, the school confirmed. The victim was reportedly stabbed multiple times in the eye with a pair of scissors during the confrontation, and a brief lockdown ensued.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, classes resumed once the lockdown was lifted, with the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) stating, "This was an isolated incident involving only the two students." The injured student received treatment at a local hospital while the other student was detained by police. Parents and students, understandably shaken, expressed their concerns over the event which marked the second scissor attack on campus this year. SKYFOX 5 video footage captured school police investigating the scene, but the station has chosen not to broadcast the disturbing video of the incident.
"It's scary. Send your kids to school thinking that they're going to be okay and something like this happens," parent Yuvonka Stephens conveyed her dismay to FOX 5. These sentiments were echoed by another parent interviewed by 11Alive, who also had a child previously attacked at the school. Despite metal detectors and security protocols, these repeated incidents have led some to question whether enough is being done to ensure student safety.
The attack, caught on video, shows one student quickly pull out what appears to be scissors from a backpack and strike the victim at least three times, as reported by 11Alive. Fellow student Kamya Lowe described the incident in a statement obtained by FOX 5: "It started off as a fight, and then he grabbed his, scissors." Lowe also mentioned that the victim, a special needs student, did not attempt to fight back.
As the investigation continues, the specific charges the detained student may face have not yet been released by authorities, nor has the exact condition of the injured student been disclosed. The school, along with APS, has yet to publically comment on whether additional security measures will be taken in the wake of this incident.
