By Matthew McGevna
According to police, John Aniano, 17, of Island Park Parkway, drove up to a 17-year-old victim, who was sitting in his car with three of his friends, and pulled the boy out of the car through the passenger door, punched him and repeatedly stabbed him in the arm and leg at about noon on Feb. 5. Aniano they fled the scene in his car.
While the victim was transported to Mercy Hospital and was treated and released for his stab wounds, officials said they caught up to Aniano at his home and found him in possession of a folding knife and some marijuana, and arrested him.
Students at the high school cannot recall a stabbing like this had occurred there before, and that security is usually on site, but added that during lunch time, when the attack took place, most of the security guards are in the cafeteria monitoring students.
³The security inside the school is really good, they¹ve really cracked down on fights and stuff, but to be honest, they do need to beef up security in the parking lot,² said one student. Another student claimed that she has observed cars driving in and out of the parking lot without ever being stopped or questioned by security.
School Superintendent Rich Cunningham said there are five security guards on site at all times and they cover the parking lot.
³We have a roving security guard who does patrol the area,² Cunningham said. ³He was not in the vicinity of the area at the time of the attack, but the incident was observable on the security tape.²
While another student said that Aniano, also known as ³Austin,² attended West Hempstead High School until he dropped out, the school district described him as an ³out-of-district² student. A number of students said they believed the fight was over a sum of money. Police nor school officials were able to confirm that claim.
Acquaintances of the victim said they were surprised by the attack, and had no prior knowledge that something like this would happen.
³[Victim¹s name withheld] is a typical teenage kid,² said one student. ³He does his homework every so often and comes to class pretty regularly.²
The school released an official statement that recounted the attack and assured that the school ³maintains a comprehensive security plan that includes security camera observation and active security surveillance.²
Aniano was arraigned on Feb. 6 and is being charged second-degree assault, possession of a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of marijuana.
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