Suffolk authorities closely monitoring MS-13 in response to teen's stabbing

Suffolk County authorities are watching closely after a teenager was stabbed in by three suspected MS-13 gang members who attend Huntington High School.

News 12 Staff

Jan 11, 2019, 10:24 PM

Updated 2,141 days ago

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Suffolk County authorities are watching closely after a teenager was stabbed in by three suspected MS-13 gang members who attend Huntington High School.
Junior Kimberly Diaz Campos says it's been a tumultuous week at the school. First, there were students and parents debating the role of Suffolk police officers inside the school following the deportation of a student who was accused of being in a gang. And on Wednesday, police say a 10th-grader was stabbed by three other students who are MS-13 members outside a Burger King in Huntington Station.
"I heard a lot of Hispanic people didn't show up to school today because of everything that's been going on," Campos says.
The 16-year old student was stabbed in the back around 3:30 p.m. when he and his friends left the New York Avenue Burger King. It's in a busy area, with a lot of foot traffic, potential witnesses and security cameras.
On Thursday, News 12 asked Suffolk District Attorney Tim Sini if the attack meant there's an uptick in MS-13 activity following an extended crackdown. He said he's "very optimistic" about the gang's status in Suffolk. But he added that putting pressure on a gang can create power vacuums, and he wants to ensure there isn't increased activity because of that.
The 16-year old victim was not seriously injured and has been released from the hospital. The exact motive behind the attack remains unclear.
As for the role of officers in the high school, the Suffolk police commissioner plans to meet early next week with the president of Suffolk's School Superintendents Association.