This browser does not support the Video element.
PHOENIX - Debra Boyer rushed to Maryvale High School after getting a tip on a neighborhood safety app that something was happening on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Her grandson is a junior at the school, and she joined other concerned parents waiting at the gates to make sure their loved ones were safe.
"It's scary because it seems like, you know, nobody really did anything at the time," Boyer said.
Boyer saw paramedics performing CPR on a student as he was loaded into an ambulance. She later learned the victim was 16-year-old Michael Montoya II.
"The paramedics were yelling, 'go, go, we gotta go.' They were doing compressions on him, which was sad," Boyer said.
Police say Montoya was attacked in a classroom by another male classmate armed with a folding pocketknife. The suspect dropped the knife while running from the classroom and was stopped by security staff.
Montoya died at the hospital. The suspect was taken into custody and treated at a separate hospital for a hand injury.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Dig deeper:
Boyer said she felt good about sending her grandson to school this year because of new security measures, including metal detectors.
"I was there first day of school when they just put in all this new stuff, and I thought, 'oh, great metal detectors.' Didn't work," Boyer said. "He got in with a pocket knife."
While many are wondering how the attacker got the knife past security, Boyer said she is most saddened that a student died at the hands of another.
"I'm really sad for the family. Both families, because it … affects everyone, you know," Boyer said.
Maryvale High School student killed: Resources for students, staff are available
Following the deadly stabbing of a Maryvale student inside a classroom on Tuesday, Aug. 19, the school district is offering resources to those affected.
Security Measures:
CEIA, the maker of OPENGATE, is the company Phoenix Union High School District uses for metal detectors.
In an Aug. 20 statement, the company said its detectors are capable of detecting small knives, but noted the sensitivity on its machines can be adjusted.
"Consequently, even if their detectors were set to detect very small knives, the detectors can’t stop a tragedy from happening from a threat item already inside – only people and policies can," OPENGATE said.
On the school district's website, it revealed details about its sensitivity settings, saying, "Sensitivity settings will be decided by district safety administrators, carefully considering the district’s specific needs and requirements to ensure an optimal balance between maintaining security and minimizing false alerts. Sensitivity levels may be increased for an added layer of safety, enhance the system’s ability to detect weapons and other prohibited items, and provide additional peace of mind for the school community."
It adds, "The safety screening technology can detect items, including but not limited to large knives, firearms, handguns, long guns, and materials and components used to construct an explosive device."