Teen accused of killing, wounding students in Bronx school

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - A weeks-long dispute among some teenagers boiled over into a violent classroom fight that ended with one boy dead, another clinging to life, and a third in police custody Wednesday in the Bronx.

The fight broke out during the third period inside a 5th-floor classroom at Public School 67 on Mohegan Avenue in the West Farms section of the borough, police said.

A 15-year-old student and a 16-year-old student were stabbed in the chest, Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. Medics took the boys to St. Barnabas Hospital, where the 15-year-old died, Boyce said. The 16-year-old is in critical but stable condition.

Abel Cedeno, 18, handed over a blade and quietly waited for police inside the principal's office, police said. Officers took Cedeno into custody and also recovered the spring-action switchblade with a 3-inch blade, Boyce said. The boy "made statements" about what happened, Boyce said but did not elaborate further. The chief added that the boys apparently had an ongoing dispute going back about two weeks.

"It's unacceptable to ever lose a child to violence in a school building," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "We will redouble our efforts to protect every child. We will use every measure to make sure that every child is safe."

The NYPD said the building, which houses two schools, does not have metal detectors. The mayor said that school safety officers would begin conducting random checks for weapons at the building beginning Thursday.

"I'm heartbroken at the loss of one of our students and this tragedy should never have taken place," Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said in a statement. "We are working closely with the NYPD on the investigation and providing ongoing guidance support and counseling for the school community."