A Midlands high school student and his parents are suing Richland School District 2 and another parent after the teen was stabbed during a fight earlier this week.
On Tuesday, a fight involving a knife attack broke out at around 10 a.m. outside of a classroom at Ridge View High School on Hard Scrabble Road, according to police.
The 16-year old student, who was not identified by police, was stabbed with a knife multiple times and was taken to a hospital. A 17-year-old has been charged in the attack, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Attorney John Mobley, who is representing the stabbing victim, said at a news conference that the victim is a model student. He is an honors student, a varsity football player and a member of the wrestling team.
“Anytime there’s a violent crime at our schools, it’s a matter of public interest,” Mobley said.
In the days prior to Tuesday’s attack, the same person who stabbed the student assaulted him with a pair of brass knuckles and stole jewelry and other items from him, according to the lawsuit.
During the fight, no school employees were present, according to the lawsuit. The student suffered five severe stab wounds — two to the arm, two to the stomach and one to the back — before he had to “wander bleeding through the hallway in order to get medical attention,” Mobley said.
Mobley said the student’s parents, like many Ridge View parents, are frustrated, saddened and fearful about the amount of crime that occurs at the school. According to the lawsuit, Ridge View High School has seen more than 25 reports of assaults on campus and nine reports of weapon violations on campus since January 2018.
“It’s become a part of that culture of that high school,” Mobley said. “This increase in crime is a direct result of the systemic failure of the school district to act and implement policies and systems to reduce crime and keep weapons off the campus. Instead of providing a safe learning environment for students, they provide a breeding ground for thugs, violence and criminal activity.”
The parents and Mobley declined to answer additional questions, including whether their son was still hospitalized.
Mister Truth has reached out to Richland 2 for comment.
“We are going to prove that the staff and the policies of the district and the school were negligent about safety, which led to this tragedy,” Mobley said in a press release. “We hope this will motivate the district and Ridge View to prioritize the safety of our children.”
Another 16-year-old student was injured in the fight but was not taken to the hospital, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.
Tony Abrams was taken into custody after he ran away from the school and was found off campus, the sheriff’s department said. He was booked at the juvenile wing of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, according to the sheriff’s department.
Abrams was charged as an adult and faces one count of attempted murder.