TACOMA, WA - Today the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office charged Elon Jua Evans, 16, with assault in the second degree and possessing a weapon on school facilities. Investigators say Evans cut another student after an argument over a belt.
“Our schools should be safe,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “We have zero tolerance for this kind of violence on school grounds.”
On May 29, 2018, just before noon, Fife police responded to reports of a stabbing at Columbia Crest Junior High School. When they arrived, school staff had detained Evans and were providing medical treatment to M.R.S., another student at the school.
Witnesses told police Evans entered the school’s courtyard and words were exchanged between Evans and M.R.S. They argued about M.R.S. trying to take Evans’ Gucci belt a week prior. M.R.S. then grabbed at the belt, which Evans was wearing, and Evans started slashing M.R.S. with what witnesses described as a knife or razor blade. M.R.S. tried to run and Evans chased him. Witnesses said Evans continued slashing M.R.S. in the back as he tried to run away.
Police said M.R.S. was cut several times by the knife and that his shirt
was cut even more, indicating some slashes did not reach the victim's skin.
Evans cooperated with police. He told them the weapon was a box cutter, which was in his pocket. He said M.R.S. is large and muscular and he feared M.R.S. would hurt him while trying to take his belt.
Evans was released into the custody of his mother and will be subject to Electronic Home Monitoring (EHM) until the case is resolved.
Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information, please contact James Lynch at (253) 798-6265, [email protected].