TAMPA, FL – A Florida teenager is facing attempted murder charges following an alleged stabbing incident involving a classmate at their high school, report local authorities. According to the affidavit, the altercation occurred at North Miami Beach Senior High School on Thursday.
Miami-Dade police report indicates that the two boys had a confrontation behind the school bleachers around 12:30 p.m., during which one of the teens pulled out a steak knife and stabbed the other in his upper left rib cage. The suspect then fled the scene, prompting a brief lockdown at the school.
The victim and the 16-year-old suspect reportedly have a history of conflict, with an argument taking place this past Monday. Subsequently, the suspect allegedly grabbed a steak knife from home on Tuesday and brought it to school, leading to the violent incident this Thursday.
The affidavit outlines how the suspect used his backpack to conceal the knife before using it on the victim during a heated argument by the bleachers. The victim was later airlifted to a nearby hospital. According to reports, he is currently in stable condition.
In a surprising turn of events, the teenage suspect was arrested on Thursday night when he was found near the North Miami Beach police station, proclaiming he had “done something bad at school” and wanted to surrender to the police. He refrained from giving any additional information concerning the whereabouts of the weapon, his cell phone, backpack, or shoes, and who helped him leave the school after the incident.
The charges against him include attempted murder, aggravated battery with great bodily harm, disruption of an educational institution, and three counts of exhibiting a weapon within school grounds.
During a Friday court appearance, the suspect’s mother alleged that her son was a victim of bullying at school- a claim the judge refuted as justification for stabbing another student.
The suspect is currently held in juvenile detention for a period of 21 days, and his case is under review to decide if it will be transferred to an adult court.