Teen Girl Stabbed in Class at San Ysidro High School Sues District and Ex-Boyfriend

A 16-year-old girl who was repeatedly stabbed in her first-period class at San Ysidro High School in San Diego last December is now suing the Sweetwater Union High School District and her ex-boyfriend, a fellow student she identifies as her attacker. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in San Diego Superior Court, alleges negligence, breach of duty, and a dangerous condition of public property against the district.

The ex-boyfriend and his parents are accused of assault, battery, and negligent supervision. New details from the suit describe the assailant entering the classroom with his face wrapped in bandages, exposing only one eye.

The classroom door was propped open because the air conditioning was broken. The suit claims the attacker walked past the open door twice before rushing in on his third pass, putting the victim in a chokehold, attempting to slit her throat, and stabbing her repeatedly in the head, face, neck, and chest while classmates screamed for help.

After eight seconds, he calmly walked off, changed clothes, and blended back into the student body. The victim collapsed, and friends tried to stop the bleeding.

The school went into lockdown, and police arrested the suspect nearly two hours later, finding him in possession of the knife and clothing used in the attack. The lawsuit argues that the district's safety plan had not been updated since 2008, that no security personnel were on campus, and that security cameras were not monitored live.

The district declined to comment on the litigation but stated that student safety remains its highest priority. Because the alleged assailant was a minor at the time, it is unclear whether criminal charges were filed.