Jenna Pizzi

The News Journal

A student was killed Thursday at Howard High School of Technology, according to authorities.

A mayoral debate on public safety was planned at the school.

The event has been rescheduled in light of the killing.

A Wilmington mayoral debate focused on public safety that was planned at Howard High School of Technology Thursday will be rescheduled after a sophomore girl died in fight in a restroom there.

Authorities said the fight involved several girls, and Amy Inita Joyner-Francis, 16, died in the incident.

“In light of the tragic event that occurred today, we, the mayoral candidates and our partners at WHYY believe it prudent to cancel tonight’s event,” David Ledford, The News Journal’s executive editor, said Thursday. “Our condolences to the family. We will reschedule.”

All tickets had been given out for the forum, the second in a series of four 90-minute debates hosted by The News Journal, WHYY and several community groups. The eight candidates vying for the party’s Democratic nomination were scheduled to take part — Councilwoman Maria Cabrera, Council President Theo Gregory, former Council President Norman Griffiths, former City Councilman Kevin Kelley, state Sen. Bob Marshall, Riverfront Development Corp. Executive Director Mike Purzycki, incumbent Mayor Dennis P. Williams and Delaware Center for Justice Advocacy Director Eugene Young.

Candidates extended sympathies to family and friends of the student Thursday.

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Williams, who is seeking a second term as mayor, said the death has rocked the city.

“Our entire city is shaken by the loss of this child’s life, but in this moment we should all come together collectively to address the serious needs of our youth,” he said.

The 6:30 p.m. debate was to examine crime and violence in the city, a key issue in the campaign leading up to the September primary. Howard is on Wilmington’s East Side, which has struggled to combat blight, poverty and crime. Twelve shootings, including two fatal, have occurred in the area in the last six months.

Marshall, who worked 18 years at Howard as director of the Delaware Skills Center, said violence was rare inside the walls of the East 12th Street building.

“You always had disagreements among students, but never to the latitude of this tragedy,” Marshall said.

He said no public school should see violence among students, “but yet we live in a time that we see, time and time again, in the headlines and on the television screens about incidents of aggressive behavior by students.”

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WHYY President and CEO Bill Marrazzo said: "All of us at WHYY express our sincere condolences to the family of the student. Our thoughts are with all of the students, teachers and staff of Howard High. WHYY will continue to do all we can to promote dialogue and understanding among all citizens of Wilmington.”

Purzycki and Young both said they cannot imagine the tragedy the victim’s family is dealing with, but declined to comment further about the incident. Griffiths said that the senseless violence at the hands of youth is unbelievable and sickening, a point echoed by Kelley, who added that residents and parents are on edge because the safety of the school was shattered.

“We have a young high school student who came to school today, like every other student,” he said. “And this unfortunate tragedy occurred.”

In or out of school, this violence by teens is unacceptable, Cabrera said.

“There is this mentality among our young people where there is no value for life and no conflict resolution skills whatsoever,” Cabrera said. “And how can we expect our young people to have conflict resolution skills when the adults around them don’t have it either and just pick up guns to solve their problems.”

Gregory, the former director of the Maurice J. Moyer Academic Institute, a Wilmington charter school, said “we need to do a better job of creating safe environments for our children.”

Ledford said organizers are working on rescheduling the debate.

“Existing ticket holders will be contacted by email with information about the future event, and they will be first in line to secure a seat at the rescheduled debate. Once we settle on a new date and place, we will let citizens know at delawareonline.com and in The News Journal,” he said.

A third debate, on development and the arts, is scheduled for June 14 at 6:30 p.m. at The Grand Opera House, 818 N. Market St. The final debate, on quality-of-life issues, will be held on July 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 808 N. Broom St.

A March debate at The Grand Opera House in downtown Wilmington focused on the economy.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2837. Follow her on Twitter @JennaPizzi.