High School Football Player Stabbed By Student At Alabama School
Deshler High School in Athens, Alabama could have been the scene of another deadly incident. Police were called to the school around 2:00 p.m., informing them that a student had been stabbed, according to USA Today.
Alabama reports that Police Chief Floyd Johnson states there was a fight that broke out between two of the school’s football players, Tarik Jacques Malone, 18, and Rashaun Tyree Anderson, 16. The two were allegedly fighting over a stolen item. The players were inside the locker room at the time of the argument.
As the argument progressed, Anderson pulled out a three-inch pocket knife and stabbed Malone in the left side of his abdomen.
Other students jumped on Anderson and were able to get the knife away from Anderson. Malone was quickly airlifted to Huntsville Hospital while authorities took Anderson into custody, according to USA Today. Luckily, the school has an officer on campus who was able to respond immediately.
Malone’s injury was not life-threatening and he will make a full recovery.
As for Anderson, Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones states that Anderson has been charged as an adult due to his age and because a deadly weapon was involved. He has been officially charged with second-degree assault for physical injury with a deadly weapon and has been transferred to the Limestone County jail on a $5,000 bond.
While Terry Roller, executive director for Athens City Schools, expressed his gratitude to the staff who responded quickly and appropriately in the situation, Police Chief Johnson agrees that rules and safety are a priority, as he reveals to Alabama.
“Any time you respond and you have children involved it’s priority to just be extra aware, to know exactly what’s going on, to try to be as safe as you can in your response, and also the safety and security of those children, whether they’re involved or they’re not involved.”
Mayor Ronnie Marks responded, “This is an issue that you never want to have come before you, but thank goodness it brings to the attention that we are also vulnerable to some degree. And we need to pay attention to those that we need to put in any safety that we can.”
USA Today states that Malone is a senior running back and occasional slot receiver while Anderson is a junior guard and tight end.
Deshler High School has seen its share of tragedy this year in light of the school losing their head football coach, Jake Linville, due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
