Four held in stabbings at high school

Two men and two teenagers were arrested Friday after three students were stabbed in the parking lot of Newport High School.

According to the Newport Police Department, the suspects were trying to rob the victims and another student, who was also injured by “blunt force trauma.” Three of the teenage boys were treated at Newport Community Hospital and released. One was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center. Police said none of the injuries was life-threatening.

The incident happened shortly after 8 p.m. outside the school, which has a population of about 400 students. While the confrontation took place, many were in the gym watching the Newport boys’ varsity basketball team play Medical Lake, said Shirl Nadeau, superintendent of the Newport School District.

Two men from Newport were arrested – 19-year-old David P. Elmer and William D. “Billy” Brogdon, 23. Both were charged with attempted first-degree robbery and rioting.

Also in custody are a 15-year-old boy from Spokane and a 17-year-old boy from Coeur d’Alene. Both teens were charged with attempted first-degree robbery and rioting, but the Coeur d’Alene suspect was also charged with four counts of second-degree assault.

“Students were pretty upset – not just those who were injured but those who were watching nearby,” Nadeau said.

It wasn’t clear what the suspects were trying to steal from the students, she said.

Nadeau said she was able to reach the parents of all but one of the victims and it sounded as though they were doing fine and are likely to return to school on Monday. The student who wasn’t stabbed broke his hand during the incident, she said.

She and other administrators plan to meet Monday to discuss what happened. They also hope to answer students’ questions and address their concerns, she said.

“It was a difficult situation,” Nadeau said.