Five Tacoma Public Schools employees will be honored after intervening in a stabbing at Foss High School that injured multiple students and a security guard.
TACOMA, Wash. — Five Tacoma Public Schools employees will be honored this week for intervening in a stabbing at Foss High School that injured four students, a security guard and the teen suspect.
The Tacoma Police Department will honor the employees during a ceremony Thursday at 6 p.m. Four employees will receive the Medal of Courage for intervening and disregarding their own safety. Another employee will receive the Certificate of Merit for giving life-saving aid to a student who was critically injured.
On April 30, a fight between a group of students preceded the stabbing.
One victim said all four who were stabbed had issues with the suspect, Waleed Emad Essakhi, 16, over an incident the day before at a skate park. They told police their friend said Essakhi stole from him and that one of the students should confront him about it.
Another victim said he heard Essakhi had taken a vape pen from someone but did not know the person.
A relative of Essakhi told police she heard the fight was also over a vape pen.
According to charging documents, security video shows the four victims confront Essakhi. At one point they make a semi-circle around him. Video shows him slapping his own face and bouncing back and forth toward one of the other students, “as if trying to get [the student] to strike first.”
Essakhi can then be seen reaching into his pocket and pulling something out. One of the victims and Essakhi lunge toward each other and the fight ensues.
A security guard at the high school got a call for assistance and saw the group fighting in the hallway. He grabbed Essakhi and disarmed him, getting cut in the process.
Six people were taken to the hospital, including Essakhi. At least two people required surgery, according to charging documents.
Essakhi was charged May 1 as an adult with four counts of first-degree assault. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial is set for June 17.
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