A routine walk near Berkeley High turned frightening on Wednesday when a 14-year-old student was stabbed in the face with a pen near Martin Luther King Jr. Way and University Avenue, according to Alameda County prosecutors. The boy, who suffered a facial wound in what police say was an unprovoked attack, ran straight to the nearby Berkeley Police Department for help.
As reported by The Berkeley Scanner, police say the suspect walked up to the boy as he waited to cross the street at about 3:40 PM and first asked for a cellphone charger. According to police, the man then turned the teen around and struck him with what officers described as a handheld writing instrument. “The suspect then stabbed the boy’s face with a pen in a downward motion — striking the boy’s nose,” police told the Scanner. Word of the attack quickly spread on neighborhood platforms and among Berkeley High parents online.
Arrest and charges
Court and police records identify the suspect as Denarian Shipp. Earlier that same day, BART police had briefly arrested Shipp on suspicion of battery after an unrelated train altercation and he was reportedly booked at the Berkeley jail before being released.
Berkeley police later found Shipp on Thursday at Shattuck Avenue and Kittredge Street where, “he was detained without incident,” BPD told The Berkeley Scanner. The Alameda County district attorney has filed counts including assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse and corporal injury to a child. Booking records list Shipp in custody at Santa Rita Jail, with an arraignment scheduled for Monday.
What the charges carry
Assault with a deadly weapon can be charged when an object is used in a way likely to cause serious injury, and the statute sets out potential prison terms if a defendant is convicted. As outlined by Shouse Law, Penal Code section 245 governs aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, while Penal Code section 273d covers child abuse or corporal injury to a child and can be charged as a felony depending on the victim’s age and the harm inflicted.
Next steps and how to help
Police are asking anyone with video, eyewitness information or tips to contact the Berkeley Police Department; the department’s records unit and contact details are listed on the city’s police page. Parents and school staff who have safety concerns or eyewitness accounts are also urged to notify Berkeley High administration and the district’s safety staff so school officials and investigators can follow up…