MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man armed with a screwdriver walked into the cafeteria at Alcy Elementary in South Memphis and attacked his wife and another woman Wednesday, Memphis Police said.
Bryant Smith, 33, faces charges of aggravated assault and burglary, according to court records. He was not listed in the Shelby County Jail system Thursday. However there are several warrants out for his arrest.
A police report states Smith was targeting his wife, a cook at the school, when he entered the school cafeteria through a side door as another employee was taking out the trash around 9 a.m.
He told his wife he was going to kill her and stabbed her in the neck and arm, police said.
When another woman intervened, Smith allegedly stabbed her, too.
Smith then left the scene and the school was placed on lockdown.
Both women declined to go to a hospital.
Police say Smith and his wife have five children together. No children at the school were reported injured.
Some parents said Thursday the incident has unnerved them so much they’re looking into the possibility of finding another school for their children.
Lekisha Mattison said there were eight or nine police cars on the lot when she dropped her 6-year-old daughter off at Alcy Elementary Thursday morning.
When she asked what was going on, she says she found out a man had been able to bust through a door, apparently stab his wife and another employee with a screw driver.
“I’m like, ya’ll didn’t call, ya’ll didn’t let the parents know? We should’ve been informed.”
Mattison said 24 hours after the startling incident, after she started asking questions, she received a recorded phone call from the principal.
The recording said, “We wanted to let you know one of our cafeteria workers got into an altercation with their spouse in the kitchen area Wednesday morning as a co-worker was taking out the trash.”
The message went on to reassure parents, “We immediately put the school on lockdown and notified the police but please know students were never close to the situation or in danger.”
Another mother, who has two students at the school, says she slightly feels reassured.
“Yes, but as I stand here, there’s no security, so who’s to say he can’t come back even if she’s here or not,” Nancy Grant said.
Shelby County Schools released a statement on the incident:
“An employee of Alcy Elementary was involved in an altercation with their spouse in the school’s kitchen Wednesday. As soon as staff members were alerted to the incident, the school was immediately placed on lockdown as a precaution, and police and District Security were informed.
“The area where the incident occurred is isolated from students and accessible for staff only. Security protocols have been reemphasized to employees at the school, which includes locking all employee and public entrances and making sure all visitors always report to the main office.”
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