North Carolina
Parent accused of barging into North Carolina high school, assaulting student in hallway
Authorities have arrested a parent accused of barging into a high school in North Carolina and attacking a student.
The incident occurred Monday morning as the parent, who was not identified, was “directed to report to the office” when they entered the Fike High in Wilson, North Carolina, Principal Ross Renfrow, said in a statement sent to families viewed by USA TODAY.
However, the parent “did not report to the office and instead assaulted a student in the hallway based on a situation that happened outside of school.” The reason behind the attack was not immediately known.
Renfrow said he and other staff members intervened immediately, “diffused the situation, and escorted the parent out of the building.”
Video footage of the incident shared by local news outlet WRAL News shows the parent grabbing a boy by the shirt and dragging him before forcefully pushing him toward a staircase. As the suspect is pulled away, the boy, who is reported to be 17 years old, appears to experience a seizure before slowly getting up and walking away.
Parent banned from campus
Renfrow said the school is “working in collaboration with the sheriff’s office and charges have been filed,” adding the parent will no longer be allowed on campus.
While the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for an update on the incident, local news outlets WNCN and The Wilson Times reported the parent, identified as Quinton Earl Lofton, was charged with felony assault by strangulation and disorderly conduct for entering the school Monday morning and assaulting a “student over an isolated incident that had occurred outside of school.” The accused was also placed in the Wilson County Detention Center under a $7,500 secured bond, as per The Wilson Times, but bonded out within a couple of hours.
Information regarding Lofton’s attorney was not immediately available.
“The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Please use this situation as a reminder that we will not tolerate violence or threats against our students or staff,” Renfrow said.
The student’s sister, meanwhile, told WRAL her brother was “pretty traumatized” by the incident.
“He’s very shaken up by the whole event that took place this morning,“ she said. “He’s pushing through. He’s trying to, you know, remain positive through the whole situation.”
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
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Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Fire crews are responding to a brush fire near Howard Gap Road in Hendersonville on Friday evening.
The fire is across the street from the Ebenezer Baptist Church and near the Highlands Square Shopping Center.
Henderson County Fire Marshal Glen Gillette said crews are fighting “blowdown from Helene.”
NEW WILDFIRES IGNITE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOREST AMID WORSENING DROUGHT
Around 11 p.m., the fire appears larger than it did an hour ago because crews are backburning, which refers to using fire to help control the wildfire.
Dana Fire Department Chief Jimmy Womack said that what was a 3-acre fire an hour ago will be an 8-acre fire due to back burning. He said the fire is 80% contained.
Womack said the cause of the fire is unknown, but one of the conditions contributing to the blaze is the Helene blowdown.
“There’s a lot of blowdown in these woods behind us. That’s what creates most of the problem,” said Womack.
Womack said there has been no property damage and no injuries have been reported for this fire in the woods that 24 personnel are fighting. They got the call to arrive at 6:05 p.m.
LOCAL NEWS
Dana Fire and Rescue and Henderson County Fire Department are supporting the U.S. Forest Service with this fire.
Glen said no structures are threatened at this time and Howard Gap Road is closed.
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This story will be updated as new information is discovered.
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