A large clump of balloons flew over the hundreds of people gathered Monday night at a vigil to mourn the 15-year-old who was stabbed to death, allegedly by another student, at Harding High School last week.
Student fatally stabbed at St. Paul's Harding High School ID'd, police posted outside high schools
In response to the tragedy, St. Paul Public Schools announced short-term security changes for some high schools.
February 14, 2023 at 2:32AM
Devin Denelle Edward Scott was on his first day as a student at the St. Paul high school when he was killed, according to his uncle, who was at the vigil and declined to give his name but said his nephew went by the nickname "Cheese." Speakers at the vigil outside the school said they hope the community can work to prevent tragedies like this in the future, but they also acknowledged it has shaken them.
"This tragedy will fully change the trajectory of this community, and I just pray and hope the ripple effect is positive and brings us peace," the school's student body president, Hawti Boranto, said to the crowd.
The Medical Examiner's Office identified the slain student Monday. "The kid pulled out a knife [and] stabbed my baby brother twice in the chest and stomach," Devin's brother Christopher wrote on a GoFundMe page raising money for his family.
Police have not said what led to the stabbing or named any students involved, including the 16-year-old who was taken into police custody Friday.
Other speakers at the vigil included St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Pastor Runney D. Patterson, a longtime teacher and the boy's uncle. Mourners held candles, and some held up a banner reading "Harding United."
Patterson urged students to think twice before taking a violent approach that alters their lives permanently.
"Don't let a five-second mistake take you away from your family, take you away from the community, and take you away from the life you could be living," he said.
Vanessa Young, director of programs from the group 30,000 Feet, said Devin was on track to get a computer science certificate through the organization.
"He shared he wanted to squash all the beef in this area," Young said.
The candlelight vigil was organized by the St. Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE).
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"We wanted to offer the community and teachers a chance to come together and grieve the situation and what they're feeling," said Leah VanDassor, president of SPFE Local 28.
In response to the tragedy, St. Paul Public Schools announced short-term security changes for some of the largest high schools in partnership with the city's Police Department, including:
- A third full-time school support liaison will be added to Harding's existing security team.
- Two St. Paul police officers will be added on a short-term basis at Central, Como Park, Harding, Humboldt and Washington high schools. The move was requested by Superintendent Joe Gothard, according to an email to district staff Monday afternoon from Laura Olson, director of the office of security and emergency management.
"These officers will work closely with each school's administration and security teams and remain on-site outside the school as an immediate resource," Olson said in the email.
The officers will be stationed in front of the schools in case its staff need assistance, according to St. Paul police Sgt. Mike Ernster. All are former school resource officers, he said.
Each officer was "carefully selected for their previous work with youth and knowledge of the issues impacting our community," Olson said, adding the district will be able to make adjustments as needed.
"We are working closely with SPPD to determine what the longer-term plans could look like," she said.
The district encouraged any staff with concerns about safety at their school to work with their administrator and school safety team and report them to the district's Emergency Communications Center.
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