Yonkers school officials, police commissioner address safety concerns at PTA meeting following school stabbing

Yonkers Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Quezada praised the police response that kept students safe and got school back to normal quickly.

News 12 Staff

Jan 10, 2023, 1:17 AM

Updated 633 days ago

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The Yonkers police commissioner was joined by school officials Monday night to address safety concerns following a stabbing at Yonkers Middle High School.
Police say last week two 17-year-old students at the school stabbed a 16-year-old student outside a second-floor bathroom before school security broke up the incident. Police say the student was punched, kicked and stabbed three times in the torso and extremities.
Police say the two 17-year-olds are part of a gang. Now, the Yonkers Police Department gang unit is involved in the investigation.
"To get to the bottom of what gangs were involved, what the fight was over, who's involved, and if there might be future violence, and they develop intelligence," says Police Commissioner Chris Sapienza.
Yonkers Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Quezada praised the police response that kept students safe and got school back to normal quickly.
"You need to monitor your children. You have to listen to your children. You have to hear what they are saying, and you have to report it to the school," says Quezada.
Quezada also urged parents to be the first line of defense.
According to Quezada, the school district is randomly screening students at all of its high schools.
Parents like Julia Hernandez welcome the additional precautions but add that more metal detectors would be helpful.
"I know it's 800 kids," says Hernandez. "I know it's difficult to check every bag, but a couple of metal detectors would prevent it."
The two 17-year-old students have been charged with attempted murder.