Deptford high school student charged with stabbing classmate on school bus
A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes.
A Deptford High School student has been charged with stabbing another student during an altercation on a school bus, police said Thursday.
The incident occurred Tuesday around 3:05 p.m. near Ironwood Drive and Village Boulevard and involved two teen girls, said Sgt. Robert Jones, a police spokesperson. Police de-escalated the incident and provided medical attention to the girl who was stabbed, he said.
The victim sustained minor injuries and was taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where she was treated and released the same day.
Jones said a 17-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes. No information was provided on a possible motive for the altercation.
Deptford school officials did not respond to requests for comment, but in a letter sent to parents, Superintendent Kevin Kanauss acknowledged the fight and said the two students had been removed from school pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.
Kanauss’ letter also updated district families on an unrelated incident Tuesday at Deptford Middle School where security officials confiscated a toy gun from a student. The student has been removed from school, and police are investigating, the letter said.
Kanauss said counselors have been made available to students who may have concerns about their safety.
“The safety of our community is our highest priority — all our students deserve a safe learning environment,” Kanauss wrote.
In social media posts shared on Deptford parent pages, some expressed concern about the welfare of their children, even calling for the suburban district to install metal detectors at all schools.