No Washburn student has been arrested after violence at school event, principal says

Neither of the two teenagers arrested Thursday night following a fight at an extracurricular event at Washburn High School in Minneapolis attended school, according to the school principal, nor did either of the two people injured.

Principal Emily Lilja Palmer wrote in a message to the school community on Friday to reassure students and families that Friday would be safe at Washburn High after one person was stabbed and another was shot with a gun. fire near the school on Thursday evening.

“I am so sorry that our beautiful Somali Culture Night performances were disrupted by violence last night,” Palmer wrote. “The situation was horrible, but we are strong, and I think it was important to have school today [Friday].”

Palmer said a fight broke out in the auditorium, where someone was stabbed. Minneapolis police said Thursday a teenager was stabbed in the lower back and the injury was not life-threatening.

The show was shut down and the auditorium cleared, Palmer said. Another person was injured as fighting continued outside, she said.

Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the scuffle, according to Minneapolis Police Sgt. Garrett Parten, charged with second degree assault. One of them also faces a firearms charge. Parten said the big incident is still under investigation.

Palmer said the person who used the knife was also arrested. The two people injured and the two people arrested were not Washburn students, but Palmer said they were all students.

Palmer promised that the school would organize a Somali cultural evening next year.

“Our students put on a wonderful show last night,” Palmer wrote. “Although in the future we may need to better control who comes in, we will continue to share the talents of our students in any way we can.”