Incident at Benjamín Franklin Industrial High School
Carabineros police arrested a student on Tuesday afternoon following a violent incident at the Liceo Industrial Benjamín Franklin in the Quinta Normal district. The event occurred around 5:00 p.m. as the school day was ending, when staff members caught the minor using illicit substances on school grounds.
Escalation and Attack
When school staff initiated internal protocols, which included calling his guardian, the teenager reacted aggressively. According to Carabineros Major David Barrera, the student pulled a weapon from his clothing that initially appeared to be a firearm, using it to intimidate the school’s coexistence coordinator.
Major Barrera described the attack: "At that moment, it appeared to be a firearm, and he used it to intimidate the school's coexistence coordinator. He then physically assaulted him with it, as the weapon was not loaded and he used it as a blunt object instead." The staff member sustained minor injuries, while the student was unharmed during the police intervention.
Criminal History and Legal Proceedings
The minor's criminal history is a key focus of the ongoing investigation. Major Barrera confirmed that the teenager—whose age has been reported as 14 by La Tercera and 15 by BioBioChile—has a prior criminal record for serious offenses, including armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, and vehicle theft.
Felipe Olivari, a prosecutor with the Centro Norte Prosecutor's Office, confirmed that the youth remains in custody and will appear before a judge this Wednesday. The prosecutor stated that he will be formally charged with two specific crimes: causing bodily harm to school personnel and possession of a firearm capable of being fired, in accordance with current weapons laws.
The case has reignited the debate over safety in educational institutions and the application of the Adolescent Criminal Responsibility Law. Authorities are awaiting the detention hearing to determine the precautionary measures for the student, who has remained in police custody since Tuesday evening.
