WALNUT CREEK — A ninth grade girl who survived being stabbed by another freshman had been lured to the area by her attacker, who allegedly donned a mask popularized by a horror film, told her he had a “surprise” for her, then waited in a shed, knife in hand, for her arrival.
When the girl arrived to a shed used for recycling on the Northgate High School campus, the 14-year-old boy allegedly jumped out, swung the knife at her without warning, and stabbed her in the throat, face, and arm, authorities said.
The attack was only stopped when a campus supervisor heard screams and rushed to the girl’s assistance, causing the boy to drop the knife and the mask and attempted to flee. The supervisor chased the boy through campus and tackled and held him until police arrived, according to authorities.
Now the boy, who this newspaper is not naming, has been charged in Contra Costa juvenile court with attempted murder and aggravated mayhem, police announced Monday. Authorities are still investigating the motive, but say the girl and boy knew each other and that she identified him as her attacker. When police interviewed the boy’s family, they were told that he has a mental disorder.
The victim also told police that the boy had an interest in horror films, which may explain why he was wearing a Halloween mask popularized by the slasher movie “Scream” during the attack. The boy was allegedly in possession of a notebook that contained drawings of a person wearing a similar mask, holding a knife and a firearm, along with handwritten notes about the definition of rape and consensual sex, according to authorities.
The girl was rushed to a children’s hospital in Oakland after the attack. She required surgery but survived. Police say the weapon appeared to be a steak knife and that two additional knives, a hammer, pepper spray, two other masks, a journal, a voice recorder, and various electronic devices were later seized from the boy’s home.
The boy remains in custody in the county’s juvenile detention system, police said.
