‘He started stabbing me’: Student, 12, recovers after being stabbed on school bus

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) — A Charlotte student is home healing this week after the unthinkable happened on his school bus last Friday.

James Love III is 12 years old and attends Aristotle’s Preparatory Academy in northwest Charlotte. Love says most of his days are peaceful, but lately a male student has been bullying him and other students.

Love says he confronted his bully on the school bus last Friday afternoon hoping it would be a calm conversation and the name-calling would end.

“I didn’t even want to fight that day, I was cooling off. I was just telling him how disrespectful it was to talk about people’s parents and stuff,” Love said.

Love said the other student became aggressive and slapped him; Love turned to defend himself and said they started fighting. Moments later, Love says the other student pulled out a knife and started stabbing him.

“He got up and slapped me, I slapped him back, and that’s when we started fighting, and that’s when he took out the knife and started slapping me. stab,” Love said.

Love says he was stabbed in the back, stomach and legs and had to receive at least 30 stitches.

Charlotte Mecklenburg police responded to the school shortly after 3 p.m. that day and arrested a minor. According to the police report, the minor is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and another unlisted criminal offence.

Charter One is the education management organization for Aristotle’s Preparatory Academy, a spokesperson for the organization said the other student involved was suspended indefinitely.

Charter One continued to say the Academy is working with CMPD as it is an ongoing investigation.

“This incident is currently under investigation by local authorities. While the details under investigation are not being released, we confirm that the student who allegedly harmed another student does not will not be permitted to return to campus. The other student did not sustain life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. It is important for our school family and community to know that we have a zero tolerance policy for violence or threats of any kind towards students, staff or school,” a spokesperson for the organization said in a statement.

Love’s grandmother says all she could do was pray when she learned of the terrifying encounter.

“I was just praying he was okay,” Sandra said.

Love’s cousin, Damya Madden, was also on the bus and helping to steer the other students away. She says she wanted to make sure other students weren’t hurt.

Despite his scars, Love told WBTV he wasn’t scared, he just wanted to get rid of the student and prevent him from potentially hurting other students.

Sandra praised the school’s quick response and on-site support. Love’s family said several staff members fought with the suspect to keep the knife away from him and protect the other children.

“If the teachers hadn’t stepped in and picked up that boy and kicked him in the body, it would have been worse, because that’s the only way for him to drop that knife,” Sandra said.

CMPD is continuing this investigation and has no further details to disclose at this time.

As for Love’s family, they hope the suspect learns his lesson and gets the support he needs to stop targeting anyone else.

“I hope he gets two years for every scar he put on James,” Sandra said.

Charter One says Love receives educational resources to support him as he recovers, including educational technology, lesson plans and individualized resources needed for success.

Love was also in contact with the organization Mobile Crisis, which is a 24/7 emergency response team with counseling and other support services.

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