High school knife victims in stable condition

At about 7:40 a.m. on Friday, a fight broke out between male students from Boys Latin Charter School and West Catholic High School near the SEPTA station at 46th and Market streets, just outside of the Division of Public Safety’s patrol zone.

Five males from Boys Latin suffered knife-related injuries after getting off the train “to fight the West Catholic students” who were “waiting for them, at least one with a knife,” said Boys Latin Chief Executive Officer David Hardy in a Jan. 15 press release. Jillian Russell, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia Police Department, confirmed that one West Catholic student suffered a hand injury. It is “not clear who initiated the fight” said Russell, although a 17-year-old male was arrested on aggravated assault and related charges.

All six students involved in the fight were “treated and released” from local hospitals and are now “all in stable condition,” Russell said. Among those injured, one victim required stitches in his lip while another suffered hip lacerations.

While the incident did not directly threaten Penn students, faculty or staff, it affects the University’s active role in the West Philadelphia community.

Penn runs numerous tutoring and mentoring programs in West Philadelphia including Community School Student Partnership and the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project, among others. CSSP makes a priority of providing safe transportation for all tutors, although many choose to walk to the schools.

None of the schools where CSSP runs its programs are in immediate proximity to the scene of the fight, but “students may be more inclined to take the van now,” in light of the recent event, said Anne Delmar, College sophomore and a CSSP coordinator.

The students were brought to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Mercy Hospital.

Hardy assured parents in his press release that the Boys Latin students received the “best medical treatment.” Officials from West Catholic could not be reached for comment after multiple phone calls. Hardy did not comment as to whether the victims are still enrolled at Boys Latin.

DPS spokeswoman Stef Cella wrote in an e-mail that it is essential that students walk in groups and don’t talk on their cell phones while walking.

The Penn Patrol Zone runs from 30th Street to 43rd Street and Market Street to Baltimore Avenue. Due to a collaboration between DPS and University City District, students have the option of requesting a walking escort from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. between 30th and 50th streets and from Spring Garden Street to Woodland Avenue, Cella wrote.

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