Durham Educators Tackle School Safety After Teen's Tragic Death

Safety is on the mind of Durham Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Anthony Lewis, who reacted to Sunday's shooting involving two Lakeview School students.

Sadly, just over the weekend, we lost a student," stated Dr. Lewis. "Furthermore, reports indicate that the suspected individual is actually one of our own students.

The Durham Police made an announcement on Tuesday that a A 15-year-old female has been taken into custody. in connection with the shooting death of a 16-year-old who was found injured in a neighborhood near North Holman Street. The teenage victim was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

DPS confirmed both teens were students at Lakeview School, where there is additional support from counselors this week.

"Whether they are friends, classmates with the students, they know the students," Dr. Lewis said. "So, from a social and emotional standpoint, it impacts them in a major way. Many of them live in the neighborhoods that the students may live in. I would venture to guess they may be wondering, am I next?"

Dr. Lewis expressed his sympathy for the families in the district, particularly the one of the teen victim, after the recent arrest. The family issued the following statement in response.

"We just would like to thank everyone for reaching out. To the friends and detectives thank you! To all that knew the victim, knew how his smile and laugh was contagious and his love for his family was undeniable. He will truly be missed is an understatement. We love him dearly."

As the school community grieves over the loss of one of their members, the "Safe Minds, Safe Schools: A Community Commitment" Summit at Hillside High School becomes particularly timely.

Dr. Lewis stated, “Our objective for today is to gather a significant crowd in the room, present our current activities, and obtain feedback on them. Additionally, there could be unforeseen elements worth considering.” He further noted, “Those attending this evening will have the opportunity to suggest extra steps we should implement to ensure the safety of our students.”

SEE ALSO | Community Leaders in Durham Concentrate on Youth After Teen’s Death: ‘We Need to Act’