‘He started stabbing me:’ 12-year-old student is recovering after being stabbed on the school bus
CMPD is investigating the incident after arresting the other student
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A Charlotte student is at home healing this week after the unthinkable happened on his school bus last Friday.
James Love III is 12-years-old and attends Aristotle Preparatory Academy in northwest Charlotte. Love says most of his days are peaceful but lately, one male student has been bullying him and other students.
Love says he confronted his bully on the school bus last Friday afternoon hoping it would be a calm conversation and end to the name-calling.
“I didn’t even want to fight that day I was cooling. I was just telling him how it was disrespectful to talk about people’s parents and stuff,” Love said.
Love said the other student got aggressive and slapped him; Love swung back to defend himself and said they started fighting. Moments later, Love says the other student pulled out a knife and started stabbing him.
“He got up and slapped me, I slapped him back, and then that’s when we started fighting, and that’s when he pulled out the knife and started stabbing me,” Love said.
Love says he was stabbed in his back, stomach, and legs and had to receive at least 30 stitches.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police responded to the school shortly after 3 p.m. that day and arrested a juvenile. According to the police report, the juvenile is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and another unlisted criminal offense.
Charter One is the educational management organization for Aristotle Preparatory Academy, a spokesperson from the organization says the other student involved is suspended indefinitely.
Charter One continued to say the Academy is working with CMPD as this is an ongoing investigation.
“This incident is currently under investigation by local authorities. Although the details under investigation will not be released, we confirm the student who allegedly harmed another student will not be permitted to return to the campus. The other student did not sustain life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. It is important that our school family and the community know that we have a zero-tolerance policy for violence or threats of any kind to students, staff, or the school,” a spokesperson from the organization said in a statement.
Love’s grandmother says all she could do was pray when she learned about the terrifying encounter.
“I was just praying he was gonna be alright,” Sandra said.
Love’s cousin, Damya Madden, was also on the bus and was helping get other students out of the way. She says she wanted to make sure other students didn’t get hurt.
Despite his scars, Love told WBTV he wasn’t scared, he just wanted to get the student off of him and stop him from potentially hurting other students.
Sandra praised the school’s quick response and on-site support, Love’s family says multiple staff members wrestled with the suspect to get the knife away from him and protect the other children.
“If the teachers had not intervened and picked that boy up and body-slammed him, it would’ve been worse, because that’s the only way he let that knife go,” Sandra said.
CMPD is continuing this investigation and did not have any other details to release at this time.
As for Love’s family, they’re hoping the suspect learns his lesson and gets the support he needs so he doesn’t target anyone else again.
“I hope he gets two years for every scar he put on James,” Sandra said.
Charter One says Love is being provided educational resources to support him while he is recovering including educational technology, lesson plans, and individualized resources necessary for success.
Love was also connected with the organization Mobile Crisis, which is a 24/7 crisis response team with counseling and other support services.
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