KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Police are investigating after a parent allegedly assaulted a student at Ruskin High School Tuesday afternoon, sending the student to the hospital with critical injuries.
A police spokeswoman said authorities were called to the school around 12:30 p.m. on a disturbance between a parent, the parent’s child and another student.
The parent and his child, later identified as Josiah S. Wright, 38, and Jonay L. Wright, 17, were taken into police custody for questioning and later charged.
The father faces first-degree assault charges and his daughter faces second-degree domestic assault charges.
“It just happened. It was not planned, there was no intent,” said Ruth Terrell-Lee, a spokeswoman for the Hickman Mills School District.
On Tuesday, the school district said the Josiah S. Wright had entered the school to meet with a guidance counselor and had “followed protocol,” when the student injured in the fight suddenly walked by. On Wednesday, the district added the parent was on campus to sign his daughter into school.
No weapons were involved, a school's spokeswoman said.
“The safety and security of our students are most important. I want to reassure you we do everything possible within our manner to make sure students are safe,” said Terrell-Lee.
During the fight and immediately following it, the school was placed on a 40 minute “soft lockdown.”
Parents were not immediately notified because the district said the incident was over and “at no time were [students] in danger.” The district sent a letter home with students for parents explaining the situation. They also robe-called parents Tuesday afternoon.
Ruskin High School is in the Hickman Mills C-1 School District.
