Incident Number: 50-24-6065
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 at 11:58 a.m.
Location: Dover High School, 1 Dover High Drive, Dover, DE
Contact: Dover Police Department Public Information Officer
Master Corporal Ryan Schmid Email: Ryan.Schmid@cj.state.de.us
Narrative: The Dover Police Department has arrested a 15-year-old male of Dover following a fight at Dover High School Tuesday morning. The investigation began at 11:58 a.m., when a fight started between the 15-year-old suspect and a 17-year-old male. During the incident, the 15-year-old displayed a pocket knife and swung it at the victim, causing the victim to sustain a laceration to his left arm. School staff immediately intervened and the 15-year-old was taken into custody without incident and the knife was secured. The 17-year-old was initially treated by staff for his injury and later brought to outside medical care by a guardian.
The 15-year-old was charged with the following and turned over to his guardian:
-Assault Second Degree
-Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon in a Safe School and Recreation Zone
The Capital School District provided the following statement:
“We want to thank our school safety constables and school resource officers for their preparation, training, and quick response to defray any further impact on students and staff. Their presence has been incredibly helpful in managing safety priorities. We also thank our school safety team, administrators, and other staff for their quick response. This type of student altercation is not what we expect to occur within our schools, but you should know that we do take great measures to prepare for these types of incidents in these unprecedented times.
There are many rumors and reports of what occurred that have been misleading. The high school was not locked down at any point yesterday. The student who sustained the laceration was released to his family. After consulting the school nurse, the family took the injured students for additional medical treatment.
We continue to work closely with our local law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate what occurred and are committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure that our schools remain safe environments for learning. Finally, we ask for the cooperation and support of our students, staff, and community members as we navigate this challenging time together.”