PITTSBURGH — Target 11 has learned that the 15-year-old student who had just transferred into Oliver Citywide Academy last week and allegedly raped a teacher inside a classroom was accused of attacking a staff member at a behavioral health center earlier this year.
RELATED >> Source: Teacher attacked at Pittsburgh school released from hospital, student in juvenile detention
According to law enforcement sources, the student slammed a staff member against the wall, and tried to take her clothes off.
He also allegedly broke a plastic cup over her head.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Student charged after assaulting teacher at a Pittsburgh school, police say
When police arrived, she was bleeding from her ear, according to sources familiar with the case.
The injured staff member then told police she didn’t want to press charges.
We reached out to the Pittsburgh school district to see if they were aware of this previous incident. The emailed us a statement.
“The District was not aware of the information you described when the student enrolled at Pittsburgh Public Schools from Wilkinsburg on 9/27/22, two days before the incident at Oliver Citywide Academy. We cannot comment beyond that,” said Ebony Pugh, district spokesperson.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Sources say last Thursday morning here at Oliver Academy the student walked into a classroom, locked the door and began attacking a teacher who was alone in the room.
He allegedly threatened to kill her and then tore her clothes off and sexually assaulted her.
When she began screaming, he slammed her head on a desk.
He’s now in custody at a juvenile facility, facing a host of charges including rape, indecent assault, aggravated assault and strangulation.
The teachers’ union declined to comment on the new information about the previous assault. The union said they don’t want to jeopardize the prosecution of this current case.
The union has called the attack on the teacher disturbing and reprehensible.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
This browser does not support the video element.