16-year-old White male teenager is accused of hurling racial slurs at a Black teenage girl before stabbing her twice in the back in front of her family relatives, pleads not guilty in court

Since students got back to in-person learning following the virtual learning period due to Covid-19, racial incidents in schools are constantly on the rise across the country. Nearly a month ago, we reported about the incident when a Black professor announced that he decided to file a lawsuit against a student who was placing a banana in his classroom doorway for several months and he identified the student by reviewing the school security cameras.

That particular incident is just one among many other that happen almost on a daily basis in schools countrywide. Per multiple reports, the local community was nothing but devastated following another, mid-April incident when a White male teenager allegedly stabbed Black female teenager twice in her back just after he was hurling racial slurs with his girlfriend and several of his friends.

The suspect, who wasn’t identified because he is only 16 years old, fled the scene after the incident, but turned himself in two days later. The girl, who suffered serious injuries, was reportedly transferred to hospital for treatment, but no more details about her condition were given by the authorities who responded at the scene.

According to S. D. Union Tribune, the minor was in a group of youths who confronted the 16-year-old victim, who is Black, and members of her family in front of an apartment complex before midnight on April 16. Per the local authorities, the teens shouted racial slurs at the girl and her relatives, apparently upset about an assault that had occurred earlier in the day. The authorities didn’t provide more details about the encounter that happened earlier that day. During an ensuing scuffle, authorities said, the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim twice in the back, then ran off along with his cohorts.

Two days after the stabbing, the teenager turned himself in and he was brought in front of judge by the end of week. The case, which understandably gained a lot of attention especially among the local community in California, left many people devastated when the suspect pleaded not guilty in court even though evidence obtained by the authorities clearly suggested he was the one who injured the victim.

The teenager was charged with two felonies. The first being attempted murder with the second being assault with a deadly weapon. Both counts carry hate crime special allegations, as well as personal use of a deadly weapon and personal infliction of great bodily injuries special allegations. The 16-year-old faces 17 years behind bars if he is found to be involved. The suspect’s girlfriend was initially arrested because she allegedly waved a weapon before the fight began, but was later released to the custody of her guardian.

During a town hall meeting that took place two days before the suspect pleaded not guilty, more than 100 activists and members of the community challenged the sheriff’s office to be vigilant in bringing justice to the high school student. As the local sheriff opened the floor for questions, someone from the crowd said “This was almost a murder!”, while other said “Let’s go after this punk’s parents. They learn this hate somewhere.”

The teen has been ordered to stay away from the victim, her mother and her sister and is due back in court June 6.