A child who was being bullied by four other children retaliated with knives in Fairfield on Thursday night, according to police, and they have filed charges against all the youths who were involved.
Police said the children are of middle-school age and the incident happened in the area of Unquowa Road and Papermill Lane around 6:18 p.m. Thursday.
As police investigated, they determined that four children had bullied and verbally harassed a fifth child, in person and by phone, and it escalated to the point where the bullied child retaliated by brandishing kitchen knives, police saod.
“While we understand the emotions and fear that might have contributed to this response, the Fairfield Police Department wants to make it clear that the use of a weapon or any form of violence is never an acceptable solution,” police said in a news release.
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They said the department has filed appropriate charges against all juveniles involved and they are scheduled to appear in juvenile court.
Police said there is no indication of an ongoing threat to student safety.
Fairfield Public Schools has been made aware to the extent that law allows and they are committed to supporting all students involved and will conduct their own investigation.
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“We want to stress that bullying, whether on or off school grounds, is a serious issue that disrupts the well-being and safety of students. Likewise, responding to bullying through threats or physical harm can escalate the situation and lead to unintended consequences,” Fairfield police said.
They encourage anyone experiencing or witnessing bullying to report it immediately to school officials or the police so it can be addressed before it escalates further.
A video showing part of what happened was shared on social media, police said, and they added that sharing videos or images of incidents like these on social media can cause undue harm to all parties involved, especially when the full context is not represented. They can also escalate tensions, lead to increased bullying or harassment, and can negatively impact the emotional and psychological well-being of everyone, police warn.
