At 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, West High’s first day of classes, three minors were arrested after chasing a West High student into the school after it was closed, then engaging in a physical altercation during which the victim was injured with a knife. The incident occurred after the football scrimmage against North Scott held at West that evening, although West administration said the incident is unrelated.
The unidentified victim did not need medical attention and attended school the next school day, according to Principal Mitch Gross.
The aggressors have been charged with first-degree burglary. Two of the minors appeared in court on Friday held on a $50,000 bond. The other teen appeared in court on Monday held on a $75,000 bond.
According to Gross, the school was notified Monday, Aug. 26 that an altercation happened in the building. At that point, West administration reviewed the school’s security camera footage and, after learning a knife was involved, called the police.
“I take the safety of this building very seriously. My own two children are here every single day, and some of the people I care about the most are in this building. So the safety of everyone in the building is always at the forefront of everything we do in all decisions that we make,” Gross said. “Had it been during the school day, or even at the end of the school day, or at a school event, there would have been a different protocol, because at that point, other people could have been at risk or in harm’s way.”
Before this incident, West added extra security measures, including requiring students to show ID to enter the building and teachers to lock their classrooms. “One of the issues is that most of our students are such nice, kind people that you just want to send [them] that courtesy. When someone’s at the door, you want to open it for them, that’s just, first nature. But, we absolutely implore people, if you don’t know who they are, do not do that.”
According to the criminal complaint, a no-contact order was filed on behalf of the victim. Two of the three charged had also previously received trespass warnings at West High in 2022.
The police investigation is currently ongoing.
