11-year-old could face charges for lunging at teacher’s aide with knife

KNIK — An 11-year-old Knik Elementary School student could face weapons misconduct and assault charges after lunging at a teacher’s aide with a pocketknife Wednesday.

Alaska State Troopers say they were called to respond to a report of an assault at the school at 9:39 a.m., April 22.

Their investigation found that the boy had brought a small pocketknife to school from his home, troopers say.

That morning, a teacher’s aide saw the student standing at the back of the classroom with his hands behind his back, troopers said. When the aide asked the student what was behind his back, he “revealed the knife with the blade extended, and lunged forward in an attempt to stab/cut the aide,” according to trooper dispatch statements.

When the aide jumped out of the way and narrowly avoided being cut, the student threw the knife at the aide, but missed, according to troopers.

A nearby teacher restrained the boy and placed him in a secure room, troopers said.

School staff retrieved the knife and no one was injured, troopers say.

Troopers and Juvenile Justice made the decision to release the child to his father pending review of charges, troopers say.