Two teens charged after fight leads to stabbing, shots fired at Washburn High School

By KSTP

Two teenagers are now facing criminal charges in connection to a fight last week at Washburn High School in Minneapolis.

Police were called to the school at around 7:50 p.m. on May 25 on a report of a “large fight” inside the school, which was hosting Somali Culture Night.

As they arrived, officers heard gunshots being fired and learned someone had been stabbed.

Court documents show that a bystander pointed out two teens to officers and said the teens were involved in the shooting. The two fled but were arrested, and officers noted one had a knife while a gun was found near the other.

A 16-year-old is now charged with unlawful gun possession and a 17-year-old is charged with second-degree assault for the stabbing.

Cellphone video from a witness showed the 16-year-old holding the gun earlier that night, a juvenile petition states.

Another juvenile petition states that the 17-year-old told officers that someone started fighting with his friend in the auditorium and others joined and started attacking him. He claimed he pulled out the knife to defend himself.

The 17-year-old who was stabbed told officers he wasn’t even involved in the fight and didn’t know why the suspect stabbed him. Police also were able to see video clips showing the fight and apparent stabbing, which also showed a school staff member trying to intervene and stop the teen with the knife.

Minneapolis police said the 17-year-old victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at a hospital. Police also said a 15-year-old was also taken to a hospital for treatment of a potentially life-threatening injury suffered during the fight.

Washburn High School noted last week that neither the two suspects nor the two injured teens were students at the school.

Both teens were scheduled to appear in juvenile court Tuesday afternoon.