MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — Police confirm two Maple Heights High School students were taken to area hospitals following a fight that saw one of them stab another with a box cutter during classes on Tuesday.
According to a press release, the two teens had a history of fighting "in the recent past" before getting into another "disagreement" that saw them begin to fight each other inside a classroom. After the altercation was briefly broken up, one student got a box cutter from his bookbag and cut the other student on the forehead and abdomen.
After security and police officers arrived, both students were taken into custody. The student who was cut was treated at the scene by firefighters and eventually taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he is said to be in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
The student with the box cutter cut himself on his own hand and was transported to Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital with "superficial injuries," per authorities. He is currently being held at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of felonious assault.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Maple Heights Police Department's detective bureau by calling (216) 587-9624 or emailing detectives@mhpd-ohio.com.
3News' Danielle Wiggins reached out to Maple Heights City Schools about the incident and received the following answers to her questions:
What is the district doing to learn from this experience to improve student safety in the future?
After incidents such as these, our crisis management teams meet to determine plans moving forward. We will explore any additional measures that can be taken to minimize situations like this occurring in the future.
What are the typical security measures the district employs daily?
To maintain the safety of our schools, we do not share specific security measures used in our buildings.
If I remember correctly, the high school has metal detectors (please forgive me if this is not correct).
Our high school uses metal detectors.
If there are metal detectors, how was the student able to get the box cutter through security?
The matter is part of an ongoing police investigation. We cannot provide any additional information at this time.
What resources, if any, are being made available for students and staff who witnessed the incident?
We have school counselors available for any student who may need additional support. We have support through our Personnel department, which can assist staff who may need additional support.
What would you like the community to know about Maple Heights Schools in light of this incident?
This incident does not reflect the students in Maple Heights City Schools. We are thankful for hundreds of students who came to school yesterday and did exactly what they were expected to do. We are grateful that our security team responded, deescalated the situation, and worked with law enforcement when they arrived. We will continue to work to ensure that our schools are safe and welcoming spaces for our students, and we will not tolerate acts of violence or threats that disrupt the learning environment for our students and staff.