COLUMBIA, S.C. — The parents of a Ridge View High School student who was stabbed on campus earlier this week have filed a lawsuit over the attack.
The litigation was put forth in Richland County court by the parents, whose names were not included in the lawsuit. Both Richland School District Two and the mother of the suspect in the case are listed as defendants.
"They believe there must be accountability and responsibility and sometimes, as we all know, the only way to hold people accountable and make them responsible is through our court system," said the parents' attorney, John Mobley.
The attack happened on April 25. A school spokesperson said the victim and the suspect were involved in a fight. Richland County deputies say the 17-year-old suspect then stabbed the 16-year-old victim several times before running from the scene.
The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment. Mobley said the student had serious injuries and continues to recuperate.
The suspect was arrested a short time later and was charged with attempted murder
The lawsuit makes several claims including this wasn't the first time suspect assaulted the victim at school. Its central complaint is that there is a pattern of violence at the school that the district hasn't properly addressed.
News19 reached out to the Richland County Sheriff's Department which said the school resource officer did learn of a previous altercations between the suspect and victim after the stabbing.
They also said that they have responded over 25 times since 2018 with nine reported incidents regarding weapon violations on campus, four of which happened this school year.
News19 reached out to Richland District Two for a response but they would not comment because it is pending litigation.