Two Students Die in Brutal Tbilisi Schoolyard Clash
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, December 4
A violent confrontation in central Tbilisi turned deadly Friday afternoon after a group of teenage boys gathered in a school play yard in what appears to have been a standoff and began attacking one another.
Two of the boys died in the brawl from multiple stab wounds.
The incident caused an outcry in the country, with members of the government calling for a swift overhaul of the education system and an increased presence of Interior Ministry officers in cities and near schools.
Law enforcement officials have taken one suspect into custody, but refuse to disclose the minor’s name, saying only that he was born in 2001.A full investigation is ongoing with the police still attempting to establish a motive for the fatal stabbings.
Witnesses said they saw boys gather in the school yard, where they began arguing. A fight quickly ensued before the two stab victims were wounded. On of the boys died almost instantly and the second succumbed to his injuries in the hospital on Saturday.
“Each had more than 12-13 stabs wounds,” said the doctors on duty.
Both victims were only 16-years-old.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili offered his condolences to the families, saying he was deeply disturbed by the news.
“This tragedy made us think what would push someone so young to act so brutally towards others,” Kvirikashvili said.
In its own statement, the interior ministry said it would work with schools to better train and equip their security guards to better deal with similar situations.
