Amy Joyner: Wilmington, Delaware Teen Killed In Bathroom Attack At Howard High School Of Technology
Amy Joyner, a 16-year-old student at Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington, Delaware, was killed during a school bathroom fight with other girls over a boy. Joyner was attacked by multiple girls in the school restroom and was flown via helicopter to a local hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
The Delaware teen was attacked not long after school began at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday. The Howard High School of Technology is a more than 150-year-old vocational school. The learning facility has earned the Delaware Department of Education Reward and Recognition School award, the U.S. News and World Report Bronze Medal School award, and innovative learning and distinguished school awards from both Verizon and Apple, according to the Wilmington school website. It is located in the 400 block of East 12th Street, ABC 7 News Chicago reports. Amy Joyner was a sophomore at the school.
Wilmington police investigators are waiting on the results of an autopsy before determining an exact cause of death. A vigil to honor Amy Joyner was held on Thursday evening.
Mayor Dennis Williams called a press conference to address the tragic and violent death of the Delaware teen.
After taking a few moments to compose himself before speaking into the microphone after Joyner’s death became public, Mayor Williams said.
“I’m so upset that the young lady lost her life today. Things like this shouldn’t happen. My heart bleeds for the family, the kids that go to this school, administrators and our city.”
Amy Joyner was known to be a kind and well-liked student at Howard High School of Technology. She was the manager for the school wrestling team.
“She was real nice. She treated us like family and we treated her like family, and it hurts our hearts we can’t ever see her anymore,” high school wrestler Shane Gallagher said.
Atiya Wilkes, also a sophomore at the Wilmington school, told local reporters that Joyner was the type of person who you could go to if you had a problem and often talked to others to bring them up when they were feeling down.
“I never would of thought she would be the girl that would get killed like that,” Atiyya Wilkes added.
A school security camera positioned outside of the building captured the moment first responders attempted to perform CPR on Amy Joyner. She was carried from the school bathroom where the attack took place via stretcher to a police helicopter that had landed on the campus lawn. She was then airlifted to the hospital for advanced care. The Delaware teen was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children.
Wilmington police investigators are exploring the working theory that the fatal fight was likely over a boy, KTLA News reports. Law enforcement officers believe it is possible at least one student may have recorded the brutal attack on a cell phone.
One unidentified female student was reportedly in a bathroom stall when the Amy Joyner beating took place.
“She was fighting a girl and then that’s when all these other girls started banking her — like jumping on her,” the student said.
#RIPAmy: Student Amy Joyner, 16, beaten to death ‘over boy’ in school toilet https://t.co/TWFRtprtL8 pic.twitter.com/7ebHcV0AHp
— The Voice Newspaper (@TheVoiceNews) April 22, 2016
After the attack on the 16-year-old girl, a notice reportedly went out to parents informing them an incident had occurred at Howard High School of Technology and to come get their children. The Wilmington high school hosts a bullying campaign on the campus and holds its annual kick-off event each spring.
“The anti-bullying thing that schools put on, they don’t really listen to ’em,” freshman Julia Scott told local reporters. “It honestly has to take something tragic like this to happen for them to actually open up their eyes.”
Reverend Margaret Guy said the country really needs to allow prayer back into the schools.
“We need to cover our babies by any means necessary, we’re losing too many,” Reverend Guy added.
https://t.co/H4mntm040n A female student at Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington was involved in an altercation with other
— ?????? ??????????26 (@26Eugenia25881) April 22, 2016
No one has yet been charged in the beating death of Amy Joyner. Two female students and several other witnesses to the assault on the Delaware teen were interviewed by Wilmington police investigators on Thursday afternoon.
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