KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Weeks before Manuel Guzman was fatally stabbed at Northeast Middle School, he was involved in a fight with the boy charged with murdering him, friends and family told The Kansas City Star.
A Northeast parent shared with The Star what she said was a video of the earlier fight. The video shows two boys punching each other. They are both dressed in black clothing, and it is difficult to discern which teen is which. At one point, one boy picks up the other and throws him to the ground. He gets on top of the other boy, who is lying on his back on the grass, and repeatedly punches him.
Family members claim that the ongoing issues and the fight between the two students led to last week's stabbing and Guzman's death.
"This was all the cause of a fight they had outside of school a month ago," his mom, Vicenta Guzman, told The Star. "Manny won that fight. It was a fair fight. And I guess, social media, Snapchat, started to make it really big to where I feel, I don't know, where this young man wasn't willing to take that loss of a fight and took his life."
In interviews with The Star, six friends and family members said Guzman and the other student — who is now charged with first-degree murder — had altercations in the past. The other student's identity has so far not been made public because he is a juvenile.
Relatives said the video was circulated on social media among Northeast students. And they wonder whether more could have been done to prevent the issue from escalating.
Vicenta Guzman told The Star that she did not report the fight to school administration. But others alleged that students made administrators aware of the incident. It remains unclear what officials knew ahead of the stabbing, and district officials have declined to comment on it.
"Before the stabbing happened, they could have prevented it by seeing there were altercations between these students several times before. And yet they didn't do anything to separate the students in the situation," Northeast mother Amaly Juarez told The Star.
Manuel Guzman's death has left the family and Kansas City community reeling, wondering how the stabbing could have occurred in a school with metal detectors, security, regular searches and a policy requiring clear backpacks. And many are questioning what motivation could be behind such an act of violence.
"They had fought before. They fought before this and that's what started it," Guzman's cousin Rodrigo Morales said.
In the video of the fight, no one else can be seen except for the two boys, although a voice can be heard in the background. It's unclear from the video if the fight happened on or near school grounds.
Kansas City Public Schools spokeswoman Elle Moxley said in an email to The Star that, "there is an active investigation into what happened at Northeast Middle School last week. We cannot comment on the investigations, nor can we comment on specific disciplinary actions. We expect more information to become available once the investigation is complete."
The district's protocols for handling reports of violence, bullying and weapons are outlined in the student code of conduct.
Superintendent Mark Bedell said last week that officials are investigating the stabbing, including what led up to it, as well as reviewing security protocols at the school. Officials have so far not said how Guzman was found or what led up to the incident. It is also unclear whether any weapon bypassed the school's metal detectors.
Officers were called after 9 a.m. on April 12 to the school at 4904 Independence Ave. on reports of a stabbing. Police said officers found Guzman inside a bathroom with stab wounds and immediately began rendering first aid along with school security. Emergency medical crews took him to a hospital.
The school went into lockdown, and police shut down surrounding streets. Students were let out of class early and reunited with their families.
At about 8 that night, Guzman died as a result of his injuries, police announced.
"They took my son dream away," his mother posted on Facebook this week, above a photo of Guzman playing football. Relatives described Guzman as a funny, outgoing kid who loved football, skating and sporting a new outfit. His mother said Guzman would tell her he hoped to one day play for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Another male student was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in Jackson County Juvenile Court.
On Monday, family, friends and Northeast parents gathered across from the school, pleading for justice and demanding accountability from school officials. About 100 students walked out of class to join the protest, standing behind barricades at the edge of school property, chanting in unison with the family.
Some at the rally spoke about Guzman's issues with the student accused of stabbing him, and demanded answers from school officials.
"They didn't separate them or nothing. The problem could have been solved way back," said Monica Juarez, a Northeast eighth grader who said she was friends with Guzman.
Family members said that they were frustrated to see the extra security and police presence at the school during the protest, arguing that the school's safety protocols failed Guzman.
"There's security out here now. Why wasn't there security when Manny was in there getting hurt?" Monica Juarez asked.
The crowd chanted "Justice for Manny" and "School should be closed."
Students returned to school April 13 with extra security, police and counselors. Bedell previously told The Star he felt it was important to hold school to ensure students had access to emotional support services.
