Cobb County Police have identified a suspect in the stabbing at Sprayberry High School on March 20 that left a student in critical condition.
Police have identified Aedan Smith, 17, as the suspect in the Sprayberry High School stabbing.
Witnesses said Smith stabbed Earl Nichols, 18, multiple times in the bathroom after a fight occurred, according to a WSB-TV article.
Smith faces charges of aggravated assault and carrying a weapon within a school safety zone.
Cobb County Sheriff’s Office booking reports show that Smith was being held on a $10,000 bond, but this was revoked according to the Cobb Magistrate Court Clerk’s office.
Leroy Hutchins, a Cobb County board member, gave a statement to The Sentinel saying that there is an obvious “child violence challenge.”
He continued saying that students lack proper communication skills resulting is one reason there is a continuance of violence.
“With the lack of proper communication skills, crisis management skills and strong emotional learning and supports, we will continue to see our children using violence as their means to communicate,” Hutchins said.
The incident at SHS is the third incident in the Cobb County School District this year. There were firearms discovered at Pebblebrook High School on Jan. 31 and a shooting at McEachern High School on Feb. 1.
Two safety town halls were held on Feb. 8 and Feb. 15 by Hutchins to address parents’ concerns, but wasn’t enough to soothe their nerves.
According to an Atlanta News First article, the Cobb County School District has not addressed parents’ concerns during a board meeting on March 21.
“Last month, a student asked for accountability following a school shooting,” a parent said. “The superintendent would only refer to that shooting as an event, my son went to an event last month. It was a school play, school shootings are not events.”
A district spokesperson released a statement to ANF saying that Sprayberry continues to be a safe place to learn.
