No charges in stabbing death of student at North Forsyth High

The surviving student involved in a deadly stabbing at North Forsyth High School will not face any charges, the Forsyth County district attorney announced Thursday.

“What happened at North Forsyth this week was an accident,” District Attorney Jim O’Neill said during a news conference. “It was unintentional.”

The district attorney said because of the evidence gathered in the case, the surviving student in the case will not face any criminal charges.

The stabbing happened around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, in a bathroom at the school, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Lt. J.D. Sloan said. The fight between the two students, one 16 and the other 18, was over a THC vape pen, Sloan said.

Authorities said the 16-year-old student produced a three-inch knife during the argument and the 18-year-old defended himself.

The 18-year-old suffered defensive wounds on his hands from trying to wrestle away the knife, officials said. The 16-year-old was ultimately stabbed in the chest during the altercation and died from his injuries.

O’Neill said the incident was a senseless tragedy.

“These two young men knew each other very well,” O’Neill said. “They were friends.”

O’Neill said the 18-year-old tried to render aid to the 16-year-old after the stabbing, packing the wound and trying to keep pressure on his chest.

“He cried and cried when he learned his friend was dead,” O’Neill shared. “It was not an intentional act by the 18-year-old.”

“There’s not a shred of evidence that this was anything more than an accident,” the district attorney continued.

O’Neill said the 18-year-old has received numerous threats since the incident, and for that reason, as well as evidence gathered in the case, his name is not being released.

“We will not tolerate any acts of retaliation or revenge,” O’Neill said.