BROOKLYN, NY – Metal detectors will be operational at Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn starting Wednesday morning. The installation comes after a 15-year-old student was stabbed by a peer, forcing authorities to seize multiple dangerous items from the premises, and increasing safety concerns within the school community.
The incident resulted in severe injuries to the victim, and another student has since been arrested in connection. Parents and students are expressing concern with sending their children to school amid rising school violence. Shameka Foster, one parent, shared she’ll accompany her son to school because of their shared anxiety after the recent stabbing.
Citing the incident on Tuesday morning, police reported that the stabbed student was injured in the stomach during a hallway fight with the suspect, who unsuccessfully tried to escape from the school.
Fear gripped parents as the school prolonged lockdown on Tuesday while the search for weapons was underway. Officers from the New York City Safety Coalition managed to seize 25 harmful items, including 13 knives, seven pepper spray canisters, two stun guns, and a box cutter.
Edward R. Murrow High School, as a non-scanning school, did not previously have metal detectors, according to the Department of Education. The recent incident has compelled several parents to call for stronger safety measures in the school.
Addressing concerns over a lack of adequate school safety officers, Mayor Eric Adams said the city’s budget will cover reinstating this year’s class of safety officers. Meanwhile, charges against the suspect in Tuesday’s stabbing are pending.