Lynn student charged in attack

Just five minutes before the attack, at about 2:55 p.m., the youth had encountered the director of Straight Ahead Ministries, an antiviolence program he has been a member of for about a year, and they chatted briefly. The director, Eugene Schneeberg, was at the school to pick up two students who had volunteered to help his campaign for Lynn councilor at large. Straight Ahead Ministries, which has a job program and counseling, includes about 160 teens from the city’s four high schools.

“He looked perfectly happy, like he didn’t have any worries,’’ Schneeberg said yesterday. But five minutes later, Schneeberg saw the student running near the intersection of Holyoke Street and Keslar Avenue, where the school is located. Schneeberg said he asked the youth what happened, and the teen held up his bloody hands. One of his fingers had been deeply cut.

Schneeberg said he assumed the teen was the victim of a violent crime, put the him in his car, and rushed him to North Shore Medical Center/Union Hospital, about five minutes away. Schneeberg said that as he drove the teen to the hospital, he advised him to be honest and forthcoming with police, to tell them exactly what had happened.

Authorities did not disclose the name of the suspect, a motive, or how the fight unfolded, because the case involves juveniles. The 16-year-old was arraigned in Juvenile Court in downtown Lynn. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.

But according to several residents who were home at the time, the fight seemed to migrate from the 100 block of Holyoke Street to the intersection.

“There was a lot of screaming, a lot of people running here and there,’’ said one resident, who declined to give her name. “I saw a couple of people with blood all over them,’’ she said.

Police responded to the scene at 3:05 p.m., after a 911 call that a 17-year-old had been stabbed on Holyoke Street. The victim sustained several wounds to the back and legs and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital. Then, at 3:13 p.m., police received another call, that a 16-year-old was being treated at North Shore Hospital for a stab wound to his hand. Schneeberg said he had called police.

Police received another call moments later reporting that an 18-year-old was being treated at North Shore Medical Center/Salem Hospital for stab wounds to the torso and arm. After police arrived, they were informed that there were two other stab victims being treated at the hospital, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening.

School officials emphasized that the attack did not occur on school grounds and did not involve any after-school program. The school day had ended about 30 minutes prior to the attack.

Thomas Iarrobino, secretary of the Lynn School Committee, said yesterday in a telephone interview: “We’ll sort through all of this as it takes its course through the courts, and if necessary, it will be handled harshly. Although this looks to be gang-related, we’re very strict on our dress code, no gang colors or attire. Do we have students with gang affiliations, yes, we do.’’

One of the students is enrolled at another high school, in the city, Iarrobino said.

There have been other incidents near the school recently, including an assault and battery case earlier this month involving students and an adult female. The adult told police the teens punched her in the face.

“There are a lot of small things that go on around here,’’ said Riley McManus, a 17-year-old junior at Classical High. “It’s Lynn, what do you expect?’’