Girl stabbed to death by love rival in classroom fight between two “straight-A students”
WARREN, Mich. — A 17-year-old Michigan high school student could be facing a murder charge after police say she fatally stabbed a classmate over a guy whom both had dated.
Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer said the deadly clash between the two “straight-A students” took place in a Fitzgerald High School classroom Wednesday morning. A school resource officer immediately began life-saving procedures, but the 16-year-old victim was pronounced dead at a hospital about an hour later. Dwyer said the teenage suspect used a steak knife.
“This is truly a tragedy. … This appears to be an altercation between two students and we’re investigating to determine why this occurred,” Dwyer said.
Dwyer said the girls knew each other and had no history of trouble. He told The Associated Press the suspect was upset and disturbed when the male student broke up with her and started dating the victim, leading to her attacking her love rival.
The suspect was taken into custody at the scene, and is being held at the police department lockup until the arraignment, which could happen Thursday. Dwyer said the suspect will probably be charged with premeditated murder in the city’s district court.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the suspect has an attorney, though she can request one at her initial hearing. Michigan prosecutes 17-year-olds as adults in homicide cases.
The victim was on the school robotics team, student council, ran cross country and played in the marching band, Dwyer said.
The school was initially placed on lockdown but students were later released. The district said in a statement that the high school will remain closed Thursday, but that students and their parents can come during normal school hours for support and assistance from counselors, psychologists and social workers.
School officials say they are working with police and conducting an internal review that includes safety procedures.
Dwyer said the school resource officer, who had been with the department for 10 years, “did everything he could to save that young girl.”
“He’s taking it very hard that he wasn’t able to save her life,” Dwyer said.