Crime
Graphic Video Shows Student Stabbed at North Atlanta High School
ATLANTA — North Atlanta High School was placed on lockdown Friday morning after a student was injured in an apparent stabbing during a fight on campus, according to Atlanta Public Schools officials and law enforcement sources.
Preliminary reports indicate that two students were involved in a physical altercation when one of them produced a pair of scissors and stabbed the other.
Emergency responders arrived within minutes, and the injured student was assisted by classmates before being transported for medical care.
His condition has not yet been released.
According to sources familiar with the incident, the victim is an autistic student.
Investigators are also reviewing video footage circulating on social media that allegedly captures inflammatory and possibly biased language used by the aggressor during the confrontation.
Authorities have emphasized that they are working to determine whether bias or motive played any role, noting that no conclusions have been reached at this time.
Channel2 NOW obtained video showing the fight between the two students. In the footage, one student is seen holding a pair of scissors.
Moments later, the second student appears with visible facial injuries and is helped to his feet by others.
Out of caution and to secure the scene, the school was placed on lockdown while police conducted an initial sweep and began interviewing witnesses.
The lockdown was lifted once authorities determined there was no ongoing threat to students or staff.
Atlanta Public Schools Police and school administrators are cooperating in the active investigation.
No information has been released regarding disciplinary actions or potential charges.
Additional updates will be provided as more details are confirmed.
Orlando, Fla. — Family and friends of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz are seeking answers and accountability following his fatal shooting outside a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub early Sunday morning.
According to the Orlando Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, just north of Lake Ivanhoe, in reference to a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Cruz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities confirmed Cruz was born May 18, 1992.
Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, Cruz and the suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk outside the nightclub district. Investigators say that during the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz.
The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which patrol officers later located in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue, approximately two blocks from where the shooting occurred.
Police subsequently arrested 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr (DOB: October 29, 1988). He has been charged with Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. Authorities confirmed this case marks the third homicide in Orlando in 2026.
Cruz’s father, Anthony Cruz, said his son and his partner had been at Savoy Orlando enjoying the evening before the violence unfolded.
According to the family, as the couple exited the club after closing time, a vehicle sped past them. Cruz’s partner allegedly yelled toward the occupants of the vehicle, prompting the car to stop. A physical altercation then reportedly began between Cruz’s partner and one of the individuals from the vehicle.
“When they fought, my son saw that was happening. My son went to intervene, and when he intervened, another guy got out of the car, and he got shot,” Anthony Cruz said. “My son didn’t deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt — a shirt with a bullet hole.”
While police have charged Borja Gil De La Madr, Cruz’s family maintains that another individual may have been directly responsible for pulling the trigger. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional suspects are being sought.
A small memorial has formed across from the nightclub, where members of the community have gathered to honor Cruz’s memory.
Joshua Cooper, owner of Savoy Orlando, said the tragedy has deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, even though the shooting occurred off the club’s property.
“I didn’t know the victim, but from everything I’ve been told, I wish I had,” Cooper said. “He seemed like a great kid. Seeing a family that is so heartbroken and so supportive of this community says so much.”
The Orlando Police Department has not released additional information regarding potential additional suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and shooting.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline.
The investigation remains active.