LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio — A local school principal was stabbed by a parent in a violent altercation this afternoon, according to Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless.
At approximately 1:41 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office received a call from the elementary school reporting that Principal William Christian had been attacked by a parent. The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Joshua Lee Collins of Huntington, West Virginia, was taken into custody by deputies at the scene.
The incident began when Collins entered the school building and stopped by the front office. Principal Christian met Collins just outside the office door, where the parent reportedly became aggressive over a child custody dispute. During the confrontation, Collins pulled a knife from his pocket and began stabbing Christian in the neck and upper torso.
Christian fled into the office and locked the door behind him, but Collins smashed through the glass window and pursued the principal through multiple areas of the school. The chase ended in the cafeteria, where a South Point officer subdued Collins and placed him under arrest.
Fortunately, no students were harmed during the incident.
Principal Christian received immediate medical attention from the school nurse before being transported by Lawrence County EMS to St. Mary’s Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia. Collins, who suffered cuts to his arms from breaking the window, was also transported to the same hospital for treatment.
Collins is facing a charge of felonious assault (ORC #2903.11), a second-degree felony, with additional charges expected as the investigation unfolds. He was arrested on the warrant by Huntington Police and will undergo an extradition hearing before being returned to Lawrence County to face prosecution.
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident.
