With a noticeable police presence, students returned to Weaver High School Tuesday, just one day after a 17-year old student was stabbed by another student in the Weaver building, during the school day.
Students' relatives who spoke with NBC Connecticut, dropping their kids off this morning, are concerned.
“This thing here, they got to do something to it because these kids are like, I don’t know what to say,” said Royson Coke, whose granddaughter is a Weaver student.
Marisol Malave said she does not feel safe and her 16-year-old son was hesitant to even go to school today.
“I’m thinking about changing my son out of this school because it’s very dangerous and I don’t need my son to get hurt,” she said.
Malave said her son did not see the incident and was in another area of the school when Weaver went into code yellow lockdown Monday morning.
“He was at the cafeteria when he started seeing the police and the ambulance and everything pulling over and then he said, 'something serious happened',” said Malave.
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The injured student was taken to St. Francis Hospital in critical, but stable condition.
Tuesday morning, Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools said his injuries are not life-threatening.
“I did visit the student yesterday and very early this morning again,” said Torres-Rodriguez. “He is expected to recover.”
Hartford police arrested the 17-year-old suspect, who was charged with assault and breach of peace. That student was not identified due to their age.
Weaver does not have metal detectors, but Hartford Police will have a presence in the school for the rest of the week. Crisis counselors and social workers have also been added along with additional school safety officers.
“I will tell you that we have seven officers here at the school we have added three officers for the remainder of the year,” added Torres-Rodriguez.
Before classes began Tuesday, Torres-Rodriguez addressed the students and staff during an assembly.
She said she wanted students to know they have resources available for emotional support and wants them to feel comfortable enough with the staff, so if they see or hear something, they would be willing to tell someone.
As for the investigation, the superintendent said that's in the hands of Hartford police and the school is cooperating.
