Wayne School Shooting Prompts Lawsuit From Parents

WAYNE, NJ — Parents of two teenagers who were shot at a high school football game two years ago are now suing the school where the shooting took place.

In August 2024, gunfire erupted from the stands at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne during an evening football game.

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Two teens were shot during the incident. A teenage suspect was arrested and charged with several juvenile delinquency charges, one of which would be equivalent to first-degree attempted murder.

More: Teen Charged In Shooting After Football Game In Wayne That Injured 2

Now, the parents of the injured teens are suing the Passaic County Technical Institute, claiming that their children’s injuries could have been avoided.

According to the suit, filed on Thursday, the school failed to execute its responsibilities to “monitor the crowd, supervise the conduct of students and attendees, identify unauthorized and/or dangerous persons on school grounds, and take reasonable steps to alter behavior and prevent injury to minors lawfully present thereon.”

The suit says that as a result, the teens were left with “significant and permanent scarring, functional impairment, and lasting psychological injuries.”

Following the shooting, the Passaic County Technical Institute implemented enhanced security protocols to keep a similar incident from happening again. These protocols included banning face coverings, enforcing a no-bag policy, closing the ticket gate at halftime to prevent late entries, and prohibiting "loitering or waiting in parking lots during games."

There was also an increase in security during the 2024 season.

Nevertheless, the suit names Passaic County Technical Institute, its board of education, and its administrators. The parents are seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest, costs of suit, and other court-related costs.

Patch has reached out to the Passaic County Technical Institute Board of Education, which was not immediately available for comment.