Assault At Joppatowne High School, 4 Boys Charged: Officials

JOPPA, MD — Authorities say a Joppatowne High School student was treated for injuries after an assault Tuesday afternoon in the school cafeteria. Four juveniles have been charged in the case, which allegedly involved a stolen car and school security breach.

The crime spree began before 11:30 a.m. when officials said a 14 and 15-year-old boy stole a vehicle from the 1900 block of Eloise Lane in Edgewood.

The two teens drove to Edgewood Middle School, where they picked up two more 14-year-old boys and drove to Joppatowne High School, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office.

Although Joppatowne is locked to outsiders and the boys did not attend the school in the 500 block of Joppa Farm Road, they came in through a door that another student used to leave the building, WJZ reported.

Once inside, the group got in a physical fight with a student in the cafeteria, officials said, noting that there were no weapons involved in the assault.

The school resource officer recognized one of the the boys involved in the assault and confronted him at 12:30 p.m., since the officer knew he was not a student at Joppatowne, according to authorities. When the boy tried to run away, the school resource officer apprehended him.

The victim was taken to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, officials said. His mother told WBAL that her son almost lost his eye.

The four boys involved in the situation were arrested and charged accordingly, the sheriff's office reported. Charges included disrupting school activities, assault and trespassing, among other offenses, according to WBAL. The 15-year-old boy, who went to the Hickey School, was also reportedly charged with stealing a motor vehicle.

Authorities said it was still under investigation how the boys were able to get into the high school.

"Our schools are very secure, but there are ways students can get in," Captain Mike Crabbs of the Harford County Sheriff's Office told WBAL.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Harford County Sheriff's Office at 410-612-1717.

Photo of Joppatowne High School courtesy of Harford County Public Schools.