Detroit, Michigan — Parents and community members are demanding accountability from the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) following a violent stabbing at Gompers Elementary-Middle School that left one student seriously injured, another student under arrest, and a parent facing charges. The shocking incident has sparked outrage, fear, and growing concerns about school safety and communication failures within the district.

According to DPSCD officials and witness statements, the incident unfolded Tuesday morning shortly after students began arriving on campus. A student, who had reportedly been involved in an earlier altercation, returned to the school accompanied by her mother. Authorities allege that the mother passed a small knife to her child inside the building, setting off a confrontation that ended with a classmate being stabbed multiple times.

The injured student was quickly treated by school staff and emergency responders before being transported to a nearby hospital. While the child’s current condition remains undisclosed, officials confirmed that the student sustained multiple stab wounds. The suspect and her mother were both taken into custody by Detroit police shortly after the attack.

What has angered many parents most is how easily the incident appears to have been preventable. DPSCD officials admitted that the school’s metal detector went off when the mother entered the building, but the assigned security guard failed to conduct a required search. The district later confirmed that the security guard has since been removed from duty pending further review.

“It’s the school’s fault,” said one concerned grandparent of two Gompers students. “How did that woman get through a detector with a knife? What if it had been a gun? This could have been an even bigger tragedy. We’re lucky no one else got hurt.”

Parents say their frustration deepened when they learned that families were not informed about the stabbing until the following morning. Several said they only discovered what had happened when they arrived at the school the next day and found it closed without explanation. “We deserve better communication,” one parent said. “Our children’s safety was at risk, and we had no idea.”

DPSCD has yet to offer a detailed public statement about the timeline of events or why notification to parents was delayed. District representatives said a virtual meeting with families has been scheduled for Thursday evening to address safety concerns, though several parents criticized the choice of an online format, arguing that an in-person meeting would allow for greater transparency and accountability.

In the wake of the stabbing, community members are calling for major improvements to school safety policies, including stricter entry protocols, enhanced staff training, and a review of all on-campus security procedures. Many also want to see the reinstatement of in-person parent security councils that were suspended during the pandemic.

Law enforcement officials are continuing to investigate the stabbing, and it remains unclear whether additional charges will be filed. DPSCD has confirmed that it is cooperating fully with police and internal investigators.

As Detroit parents await answers, one message remains consistent — families want assurance that Gompers Elementary-Middle School, and all schools in the district, will be safe havens for children once again.