RALEIGH, NC – A violent brawl inside Raleigh’s Southeast Raleigh High School on Monday resulted in one student, a 15-year-old, being fatally stabbed and another, 16, hospitalized due to a non-lethal stab wound. The perpetrator, a 14-year-old classmate, has been arrested and charged with murder.
Caught on camera, the fight started with two students squaring off before it spiraled into the school’s gym, drawing other students into the fray. In the video footage, a student appears to stab at two others with a sharp object before escaping.
“Sadly, one victim succumbed to his injuries,” Chief Estella Patterson of Raleigh Police said during a media briefing. The police chief described the incident as “very unfortunate” and “disturbing” for all parties involved.
The identities of the victims and the suspect were withheld due to their minor status. The mother of the alleged stabber, Sherelle McLaughlin, told WRAL that she believes her son acted in self-defense. She also raised doubts about her son bringing the knife to school, suggesting he may have obtained it from someone else within the school.
Southeast Raleigh High School will remain closed on Tuesday to allow students time to mourn the loss of their classmate and for a review of the school’s safety protocols. In a statement, Wake County Superintendent Robert Taylor called the incident “unacceptable” and stressed that schools should be considered safe spaces for students and staff.