BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT Vanessa Gibson, police officials and schools chancellor, David C. Banks, speak to the media outside P.S. 69 in the Soundview section of the Bronx after a stabbing took place inside the school on the morning of Thursday, April 14, 2022. Photo by Síle Moloney
A 57-year-old male school safety agent (SSA) was brought to Jacobi hospital after being stabbed Thursday morning, April 14, at P.S. 69 in the Soundview section of the Bronx when he intervened to protect his colleague, a 36-year-old female guidance counselor, who was the target of a domestic violence assault on the school premises by her ex-partner.
The incident unfolded inside the school, located at 560 Thieriot Avenue around 7.40 a.m. when the man barged into the school seemingly with the purpose of assaulting his ex-partner. Another 40-year-old male colleague, a teacher, also intervened to protect his colleague from her attacker. His jacket was slashed but he had no apparent flesh injuries.
The female victim suffered bruising. All three were taken to a local area hospital and due to the description of the assailant provided by the victims, police were able to quickly apprehend him. Claudio Villar, 23, of 228th Street in the Bronx was later arrested on various charges including attempted aggravated murder.
NYC Department of Education (DOE) officials said no students witnessed the incident as it happened before they arrived at the school.
Mayor Eric Adams briefly addressed the incident via video conference during a pre-scheduled press conference at City Hall on Thursday to announce the expansion of the City’s “Gifted and Talented” schools program, and commended the quick response to the incident by the SSA in question. He referred to the “heroic act” on the part of the 57-year-old employee in preventing further bloodshed from taking place. “It’s unacceptable. Violence in our schools will not be accepted,” said Adams, who is quarantining due to having contracted COVID-19, as reported.
The role of school safety agents has, as reported, caused some division among certain groups within the community, with some parents calling for more security in schools, and others advocating to move the oversight of school safety agents away from the NYPD under the jurisdiction of the DOE.
This was the plan foreseen under the De Blasio administration, born out of the fall out over the 2020 City budget discussions, as reported, and amid calls to “defund the police” and direct more money to social services. During an interview on Inside City Hall with broadcaster and host, Errol Louis, in late October 2021, then Mayor Bill De Blasio addressed the point, saying, “Look, clearly, I thought that they were doing well under the NYPD. The City Council really wanted to make a change. I worked with them on a plan where we all had to come together and find common ground.”
He added, “But we agreed to a two-year transition. That was something I was adamant about, to give us time to do it the right way. And to make sure the kids and the whole school community were safe. In the meantime, of course, Eric Adams has been elected mayor and everything I’ve heard him say suggests he thinks that they should continue in the NYPD. So, that will obviously ultimately be his decision.”
Another press conference was held on Thursday outside P.S. 69, later that morning which was attended by Banks, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Assemblyman Kenny Burgos (A.D. 85).
POLICE CORDON OFF the street outside P.S. 69 in the Soundview section of the Bronx after a stabbing took place inside the school on the morning of Thursday, April 14, 2022. Photo by Síle Moloney
NYC Chancellor David Banks released a statement Thursday, saying, “Violence has absolutely no place in our schools, and this senseless act against an essential member of our school community is unacceptable.”
He added, “Our incredible educators and school safety agents work every day to keep our children safe, and I am grateful for their steadfast dedication to our schools. We are offering supports to this school community.”
My office will continue to work closely with our partners to monitor the ongoing situation to ensure that our school communities are kept safe and the families of P.S. 69 are informed every step of the way.
Gibson later tweeted, “Thankful for the heroic efforts of our school leaders, educators and School Safety Agents responding to this morning’s terrible incident at PS 69, Journey Prep School. A suspect was taken into police custody and no students were injured. We are closely monitoring the situation.”
A more extensive story on this incident will follow.
Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible.
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