According to court documents, Tyquan General, a 15-year-old teenager, will face charges as an adult for the fatal stabbing that occurred at Southeast Raleigh High School in November.
A tragic incident occurred at Southeast Raleigh High School, where a student lost their life due to a stabbing. The incident took place on November 27, when a 14-year-old student, known as General, was involved in the incident that resulted in the death of Delvin Ferrell, a 15-year-old freshman at the school. Additionally, another student sustained injuries and required hospitalization.
General is facing serious charges after juvenile petitions were filed against them. The charges include first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. The petitions were filed on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5. The case involving General has been transferred from the juvenile court to Superior Court, where they will be tried as an adult.
In November, District Attorney Lorrin Freeman informed WRAL News that she intended to transfer the case of General, who was accused of murder, to Superior Court for him to be tried as an adult.
“It is concerning when young people are involved in acts of violence that result in murder,” Freeman expressed. “If there is sufficient evidence of first-degree murder, 15-year-olds will be automatically transferred.”
The family of the general sought to challenge the decision of the juvenile court judge to try him as an adult, but their appeal was rejected by a Superior Court judge on May 23. The General must request an arraignment date, otherwise the court will enter a plea of “not guilty” on his behalf.
Freeman states that his case will be included in the roster of homicide cases that her office will handle.
Freeman stated that it typically takes around two years for homicide cases to proceed to trial. According to Freeman, if General is sentenced to life in prison, there is a chance of parole after 25 years due to his status as a minor.
A video captured by students in November depicts a disturbing incident where General can be seen aggressively wielding a knife, injuring two students before nonchalantly leaving the scene. According to family members, one of the students involved in the incident was Ferrell, a 15-year-old who tragically passed away due to his injuries.
The video captures various angles of the altercation, indicating that it originated outside the gymnasium and later escalated inside, with students closely observing the unfolding events.
According to Cherelle McLaughlin, the mother of the General, she informed WRAL News that her son was acting in self-defense and expressed his concerns about his safety at the school.
McLaughlin made sure to notify the school about the possible risk to her son, emphasizing the potential for him to be targeted.
I had previously notified the school about a potential incident. She said she had informed them earlier that morning. “I warned them about a potential incident where individuals might threaten him.” They failed to reach him in time.
The cause of the fight has not been clarified by police and school officials.
Wake County does not utilize metal detectors, some of which have the capability to detect certain types of knives. Conventional metal detectors have been known to come with a hefty price tag, often reaching millions of dollars, and can lead to frustratingly long wait times for students entering school. Knives can sometimes go undetected by certain modern weapons detection systems.
