A 15-year-old student at Westwood High School has been charged with assault and battery in the third degree after deputies say he struck another student with a mechanical pencil. The teen was released to a parent following the charge, and the Richland County Sheriff's Department says the case remains under investigation.
According to the Post and Courier, the incident occurred on Nov. 9 at Westwood High, located on Turkey Farm Road in Blythewood. A concerned parent reported the matter two days later, on Nov. 11, prompting a school resource officer to meet with them about what had happened between their child and the other student, as reported by WIS-TV.
What Investigators Determined
After further investigation, officials determined that the 15-year-old used a mechanical pencil to strike the parent's child, per the same account. The station reports that the student was subsequently charged with assault and battery in the third degree and has since been released to a parent. Neither student's name has been released because of their age, according to WACH.
The Richland County Sheriff's Department has confirmed that it is investigating the incident, though no further details about the injured student's condition or the exact circumstances leading up to the altercation have been released.
Westwood High's Recent History With School Safety Incidents
This is not the first time Westwood High has made headlines over a safety-related incident involving a student. In February 2023, a 17-year-old Richland 2 student was arrested after bringing a gun and marijuana onto school property, according to The State. A school resource officer found the firearm and a small amount of marijuana after searching the student and his vehicle in the school's parking lot following a minor vehicle collision, with the sheriff's department noting there was no evidence the student had threatened anyone with the gun. That student was charged with carrying a firearm on school property and simple possession of marijuana.
In September 2022, a 17-year-old Westwood student was arrested for allegedly bringing a knife to school, according to ABC Columbia. That student was charged with carrying a weapon on school grounds, and officials said at the time there was no evidence anyone had been presented with or threatened by the knife.
