Latest news with #CharlesP.AllenHighSchool
Global News
07-05-2025
- Global News
Bedford vice-principal stabbed by student files lawsuit against security guard
A vice-principal stabbed by a 15-year-old student inside a Halifax high school is suing a school security guard, claiming the guard failed to follow proper search and de-escalation procedures before the attack. In a statement of claim filed April 28, vice-principal Wayne Rodgers alleges that on March 20, 2023, Ryan Cosgrove failed to complete a search of the student and his belongings after the security guard pulled a weapon from the student's school bag. At the time, all three people were in Rodgers's office at Charles P. Allen High School in suburban Bedford. According to an agreed statement of facts presented last year to a Nova Scotia youth court judge, Cosgrove left the office with a butterfly knife and called police, leaving Rodgers alone with the student in an office that was locked from the outside. Moments later, the student pulled a folding knife from his school bag and stabbed the vice-principal twice as he tried to escape. The boy fled the office and stabbed an administrative assistant in the back before he left the building and was arrested on school grounds. Story continues below advertisement He later pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault and was sentenced to two years of probation. His identity is protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Rodgers was stabbed in the upper back and lower chest, which caused air and blood to leak into his chest cavity, according to the lawsuit filed with the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. The lawsuit also alleges Cosgrove failed to recognize the student was getting agitated and aggressive. And the document says the security guard's decision to close the office's locked door left the vice-principal trapped with the assailant. 1:12 Teen behind Charles P. Allen High School stabbing in court for sentencing Attempts to reach Cosgrove for comment were unsuccessful. The lawsuit also names the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, alleging the education authority failed to properly train Cosgrove in search and seizure techniques or de-escalation procedures. As well, the lawsuit says the education authority is vicariously liable for the damages caused by the security guard, saying the centre was aware of the history of violence at the high school. Story continues below advertisement The authority was negligent for employing an improperly trained security guard and for failing to have any hiring or training policies for security guards, the lawsuit alleges. On another front, the lawsuit alleges the education authority failed to warn Rodgers about the student's 'propensity for violence.' The education authority issued a brief statement Tuesday saying it couldn't comment on the allegations because the case, which deals with a private matter with an employee on leave, is before the courts. Meanwhile, Rodgers continues to suffer from pain, discomfort and other limitations, as well as unspecified psychological injuries, the document says. The allegations in the statement of claim have yet to be tested in court.
Hamilton Spectator
07-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Halifax-area vice-principal stabbed by student files lawsuit against security guard
HALIFAX - A vice-principal stabbed by a 15-year-old student inside a Halifax high school is suing a school security guard, claiming the guard failed to follow proper search and de-escalation procedures before the attack. In a statement of claim filed April 28, vice-principal Wayne Rodgers alleges that on March 20, 2023, Ryan Cosgrove failed to complete a search of the student and his belongings after the security guard pulled a weapon from the student's school bag. At the time, all three people were in Rodgers's office at Charles P. Allen High School in suburban Bedford. According to an agreed statement of facts presented last year to a Nova Scotia youth court judge, Cosgrove left the office with a butterfly knife and called police, leaving Rodgers alone with the student in an office that was locked from the outside. Moments later, the student pulled a folding knife from his school bag and stabbed the vice-principal twice as he tried to escape. The boy fled the office and stabbed an administrative assistant in the back before he left the building and was arrested on school grounds. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault and was sentenced to two years of probation. His identity is protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Rodgers was stabbed in the upper back and lower chest, which caused air and blood to leak into his chest cavity, according to the lawsuit filed with the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. The lawsuit also alleges Cosgrove failed to recognize the student was getting agitated and aggressive. And the document says the security guard's decision to close the office's locked door left the vice-principal trapped with the assailant. Attempts to reach Cosgrove for comment were unsuccessful. The lawsuit also names the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, alleging the education authority failed to properly train Cosgrove in search and seizure techniques or de-escalation procedures. As well, the lawsuit says the education authority is vicariously liable for the damages caused by the security guard, saying the centre was aware of the history of violence at the high school. The authority was negligent for employing an improperly trained security guard and for failing to have any hiring or training policies for security guards, the lawsuit alleges. On another front, the lawsuit alleges the education authority failed to warn Rodgers about the student's 'propensity for violence.' The education authority issued a brief statement Tuesday saying it couldn't comment on the allegations because the case, which deals with a private matter with an employee on leave, is before the courts. Meanwhile, Rodgers continues to suffer from pain, discomfort and other limitations, as well as unspecified psychological injuries, the document says. The allegations in the statement of claim have yet to be tested in court. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025.
Toronto Star
07-05-2025
- Toronto Star
Halifax-area vice-principal stabbed by student files lawsuit against security guard
HALIFAX - A vice-principal stabbed by a 15-year-old student inside a Halifax high school is suing a school security guard, claiming the guard failed to follow proper search and de-escalation procedures before the attack. In a statement of claim filed April 28, vice-principal Wayne Rodgers alleges that on March 20, 2023, Ryan Cosgrove failed to complete a search of the student and his belongings after the security guard pulled a weapon from the student's school bag. At the time, all three people were in Rodgers's office at Charles P. Allen High School in suburban Bedford. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW According to an agreed statement of facts presented last year to a Nova Scotia youth court judge, Cosgrove left the office with a butterfly knife and called police, leaving Rodgers alone with the student in an office that was locked from the outside. Moments later, the student pulled a folding knife from his school bag and stabbed the vice-principal twice as he tried to escape. The boy fled the office and stabbed an administrative assistant in the back before he left the building and was arrested on school grounds. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault and was sentenced to two years of probation. His identity is protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Rodgers was stabbed in the upper back and lower chest, which caused air and blood to leak into his chest cavity, according to the lawsuit filed with the Nova Scotia Supreme Court. The lawsuit also alleges Cosgrove failed to recognize the student was getting agitated and aggressive. And the document says the security guard's decision to close the office's locked door left the vice-principal trapped with the assailant. Attempts to reach Cosgrove for comment were unsuccessful. The lawsuit also names the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, alleging the education authority failed to properly train Cosgrove in search and seizure techniques or de-escalation procedures. As well, the lawsuit says the education authority is vicariously liable for the damages caused by the security guard, saying the centre was aware of the history of violence at the high school. The authority was negligent for employing an improperly trained security guard and for failing to have any hiring or training policies for security guards, the lawsuit alleges. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW On another front, the lawsuit alleges the education authority failed to warn Rodgers about the student's 'propensity for violence.' The education authority issued a brief statement Tuesday saying it couldn't comment on the allegations because the case, which deals with a private matter with an employee on leave, is before the courts. Meanwhile, Rodgers continues to suffer from pain, discomfort and other limitations, as well as unspecified psychological injuries, the document says. The allegations in the statement of claim have yet to be tested in court. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025.
CBC
02-05-2025
- CBC
Bedford vice-principal who was stabbed by student files lawsuit
A high school vice-principal who was stabbed by a student two years ago in Bedford, N.S., is suing the school's security guard, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education and the province, saying the incident was preventable. A statement of claim filed on Monday in Nova Scotia Supreme Court says Wayne Rodgers of Middle Sackville, N.S., was stabbed twice by the student at Charles P. Allen High School on March 20, 2023, causing physical and psychological injuries. The teen — who was 15 at the time of the incident — had four knives in his possession when he was called to the school office to explain putting up unauthorized posters in the school, court heard during the criminal case. During a discussion about possible consequences, he stabbed the vice-principal twice. Rodgers had to have a tube inserted in his chest after he was taken to hospital and required surgery for an injury to his diaphragm. The staff member who heard his screams was also stabbed. The boy, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault. He was sentenced last September to two years of probation. The allegations The statement of claim alleges the school's full-time security guard failed to recognize that the student was becoming agitated and aggressive and failed to take steps to de-escalate the situation. It also alleges the guard was negligent in leaving Rodgers alone with the student "after causing the student to become agitated and aggressive," and negligent in closing the vice-principal's door when leaving, "which ultimately locked from the outside and trapped the plaintiff inside with the student." The lawsuit alleges the Halifax Regional Centre for Education negligently employed the security guard, who did not have proper training in "search and seizure or de-escalation procedures or techniques." It also alleges the regional centre and the province failed to take appropriate steps to provide for the physical safety of employees, despite being aware of the history of violence at the school and "specific concerns regarding the student." It goes on to detail Rodgers's physical and psychological injuries. "The plaintiff says that this incident was preventable, and the losses and damages he suffered were caused in whole or in part by the negligent acts and/or omissions of the defendants," the statement of claim says. The lawsuit seeks damages, but does not specify an amount. The allegations have not been proven in court and a notice of defence has not yet been filed. A spokesperson for Halifax Regional Centre for Education declined to comment on Friday, saying the matter is before the courts. But Lindsey Bunin did confirm Rodgers is on leave. Robert Carter, Rodgers's lawyer, did not immediately return a request for comment Friday. A spokesperson for the province's Justice Department said it would not be appropriate to comment on a matter before the courts.
