News

NEW YORK, NY December 08, 2006 —Extra security was sent to Washington Irving High School yesterday after the fatal stabbing of a Brooklyn high school student at nearby Union Square. Two other teens were injured in the fight, one of whom goes to Washington Irving. As WNYC's Beth Fertig reports, the incident was a sad reminder of the school's dangerous past.

REPORTER: Sixteen year old Athalia Montoute says everyone was talking about the stabbing yesterday.

MONTOUTE: It's kind of weird in a way cause people are being stabbed and killed like right around here where we go to school, a lot of people in the school are scared.

REPORTER: Three years ago, Washington Irving was on a list of the city's most dangerous schools. But it was taken off that list after extra police were sent to the building and new security measures were adopted. The dean in charge of discipline says now there are metal detectors, the halls are patrolled, and kids aren't allowed to wear any colors associated with gangs.

The head of the 14th Street business group also believes things have improved. But one store owner says there are still scuffles after school and he occasionally sees students with knives. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.