An intruder who tried to attack a teacher at a public elementary school in the Bronx ended up slashing a "heroic" on-duty school safety agent who intervened and thwarted the attack, Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday. One suspect is in custody.
The agent was taken to a hospital after being slashed behind the ear at PS 69, Journey Prep School, on Thieriot Avenue around 7:40 a.m. The agent is expected to be OK.
A senior law enforcement official described the suspect as the former boyfriend of the teacher he allegedly tried to attack at PS 69 as parents were dropping their kids off at school for the day. The school serves more than 560 students in pre-K through Grade 5, along with special education students, according to the education department.
Adams called the school violence "unacceptable" and said the suspect would be brought to justice.
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The violence comes less than a week after an honor student died and two other students were wounded in a drive-by shooting outside a high school in the same borough. The latest incident has local advocates calling for more support.
"This recent incident highlights why we need to have a full contingent of school safety agents," said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. "We are down at least 2,000 safety agents from where we should be. Today, we are grateful to the teacher and school safety agent at PS 69 for stepping in to protect their colleague and thankful that no one was more seriously injured."
President of Local 237 Teamsters union Gregory Floyd agreed.
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Floyd also demanded the mayor provide more school safety agents "now," as did the NYC School Safety Coalition, a local group representing parents, families, religious leaders, and community leaders.
"What will it take? Death? Mayor Adams: hire more school agents now," Floyd said.
The coalition said there have been 41 attacks on school safety agents during this academic year alone, up from 30% the previous year, and also asked for more help.
News 4 has reached out to the city's Department of Education for comment.
