Age of Students Involved in KHS Incident Limits Information that can be Publicly Divulged

In order to address questions that are being posed about an incident that occurred at Knox High School on Wednesday, August 28th, a press release has been issued by the Starke County Prosecutor’s Office.

As previously reported, the incident apparently involved two students and was responded to and investigated by school administrators in conjunction with School Resource Officer Travis Schieber, a patrolman with the Knox City Police Department.

According to the release, any discipline that occurs will be pursuant to the policies that are set forth in the KHS Student Handbook. The handbook is available online and is accessible to the public.

At this time, the matter remains under investigation by the Knox City Police Department and the Starke County Prosecutor’s Office.

Those investigating this matter, as well as the Starke County Prosecutor’s Office, are not at liberty to further discuss the individuals involved or the details of the incident due to the fact they are under the age of eighteen.

The release notes that divulging such information would be a violation of both federal and state law as well as a violation of privacy for all individuals involved.

Additionally, any decision made by the Starke County Prosecutor’s Office with regard to the pursuit of any potential criminal charges is also something that cannot be publicly shared for the same aforementioned reason. As a disclaimer, it is noted that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The press release states that there is a goal in Starke County to keep children safe and to provide a safe environment for them to learn in. In an effort to promote safety and student well-being, Knox High School offers services through the Bowen Center.

Those services include skills coaching that addresses social and behavioral concerns that students may experience while they are in school, as well as at home. Those concerns could include anxiety, depression and defiant or impulsive behaviors.

Other Knox Schools offer services through Porter-Starke Services to address student mental health and emotional needs.