Dayton police had a “very clear and strong lead” on the suspect, described as approximately 18 to 20 years old, said David Lawrence, the school district’s chief of school innovation. Officers unsuccessfully canvassed the neighborhood while attempting to track the individual with a police dog.
No motive was identified in the attack.
This “doesn’t happen in any school system anywhere on a regular basis,” Lawrence said, calling the assault “madness.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are out there for the young lady,” he said.
School officials said there will be “additional security at World of Wonder in the days ahead whenever our students are outdoors.”
Authorities were informed of the assault in a 911 call from the school secretary at 1:30 p.m.
“A man stabbed somebody,” the secretary told dispatchers. “They stabbed them on the playground.”
Another employee is heard on the call telling the secretary about the victim’s status.
“She’s laying face down and the police are here,” the employee said.
World of Wonder, also referred to as WoW at Residence Park, is one of Dayton Public Schools’ 21 elementary schools serving students in preschool through eighth grade. The school is on Oakridge Drive, and the playground is between the school building and a church, with security cameras affixed to the corners of the building.
This news organization has requested footage from the cameras at the time of the attack.
A security guard typically stationed at the school was not on duty Friday, according to district spokeswoman Jill Moberley. It was not clear Friday why the guard was not on duty, although district security personnel from Thurgood Marshall High School two blocks away responded immediately.
Dayton Police said homicide detectives and patrol officers searched for the attacker, described as a black male with light complexion and short hair, between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10, wearing an orange shirt, tan or green hoodie and blue or beige gym shorts. Anyone with information is asked to call 333-COPS or Crime Stoppers at 222-STOP.
Neighbors were appalled by the assault.
“Our children are never allowed to go to the park by themselves, ever,” said Tacola Shinn, a mother of two who lives across from the school. Her 9-year-old son doesn’t attend the school, but the family goes across the street to the playground every day.
“It’s scary and I don’t want my children to be here,” Shinn said. “I mean, I love this neighborhood and I grew up in this neighborhood, and my kids can never play outside by themselves again.”
The school was placed on lockdown following the assault, and while school was dismissed at the normal bell, many parents approaching the school to pick up their children were unaware of the incident prior to arriving. One parent complained he heard about the incident on Facebook, but district security officers discouraged him from sharing more details with this newspaper.
Natalie Middleton didn’t know what happened when she arrived at the school. When she found out, the mother of a WoW student said, “It’s just crazy that a person would come and do something to a child on school property.”
District personnel passed out one-page letters to parents informing them of the “trespasser” who “entered our playground during recess today and assaulted one of our students.” The letter, signed by principal LaDawn Mims-Morrow, said the school will have counselors on site Monday.
The principal’s father, City Commissioner Jeff Mims, spent 35 years as a teacher and school board member at Dayton Public Schools. He went to the school Friday afternoon to help with dismissal and spoke with school staff. He said he can’t remember anything like this stabbing in his decades with DPS.
“I’m puzzled, man,” Mims said. “Maybe the person has some challenges we’re not aware of, obviously, but what would make a person want to harm someone who is harmless and defenseless?”
Mims said the children screamed when the attack happened, then did an excellent job of following teachers’ instructions to move to safety.
“Let’s say some prayers for the young lady and her family,” Mims said. “Let’s all let our children know how much we value and appreciate them.”
Staff writers Steve Bennish and Caroline Reinwald contributed to this story.
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