Buffalo school security officer shot, student stabbed outside school
BUFFALO N.Y. Feb 11, 2022— Buffalo Police said a student was stabbed outside of McKinley High School Wednesday and not shot as originally reported.
The incident happened outside of the school near the parking lot at 3:45 p.m.
Police said the 14-year-old male was taken to Oishei Children’s Hospital and during surgery it was determined the student had been stabbed multiple times and not shot. As of 9 p.m., the teen was out of surgery and recovering.
A school security guard was shot in leg as originally reported. Police said he was taken to ECMC with non-life threatening injuries.
No arrests have been made.
Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash said McKinley High School will be “reset” and will re-open in a phased approach. The school will be closed for in-person learning and students will be remote through the end of the week. If needed, Cash said the remote model could be in place until February 28.
Cash released the following statement Wednesday evening:
Buffalo Public Schools Community:
“A violent incident occurred outside McKinley high school at or around dismissal time today. One student and one security officer were wounded. The Buffalo Police Department was on the scene immediately with all of their considerable resources applied to manage the scene and investigate the incident. We are grateful to Mayor Byron Brown and the BPD, the State Police, the Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI for their extraordinary partnership. Our thoughts and prayers are with the student, the security officer, their families, and the entire McKinley school community at this time. Follow-up information regarding the incident will come from the BPD.
The school district will place McKinley High School into a remote learning environment through the end of the week (2/10 – 2/11) to provide online counseling and other socioemotional supports while we continue building out a comprehensive plan to re-open the school. Grief counseling and online SEL teaching resources will be provided to all students, parents, and teachers of the BPS anticipating the trauma this incident has had on all of us. Together, we will help each other through.”
Deputy Police Commissioner Joe Gramaglia said there were more than 100 students along with staff members in the school at the time of the shooting. The school was placed in lockdown for several hours.
Parents waited outside of McKinley until their children were released the to them.
“I started calling Cam’s phone texting him and when I couldn’t get him, I’m zooming here. I started to panic,” said Angel Williams. “We need to do a better job. Not tomorrow, not yesterday. Today.”
Parents also said there have been reports of fighting and want the district to listen to them and do more.
Leticia Vega said her son was texting her from inside the school.
“My son texted me like 10 messages saying, ‘They’re shooting, they’re shooting, they’re shooting’. I was devastated, I was furious, I was freaking out,” Vega said.
Following the incident, a shelter in place was put into effect at Buffalo State College after University Police received a report of an armed person leaving the area of McKinley High School and heading toward the 198.
