Murder is the second leading cause of death among American teenagers, after car accidents. The teen murder rate here is ten times that of Western Europe and seventy times Japan’s. What makes it all even more shocking, is that many murders take place on school grounds. When a teenager kills, everyone suffers. The beloved victims are robbed of their lives and the perpetrators may spend the rest of their lives behind bars: a double tragedy.
In the suburb of Warren, Michigan, two straight-A students with promising futures ahead of them, would find their lives shattered after one vicious and senseless attack inside a classroom. The unexpected identity of the violent attacker has shaken the town to its core.
A Dangerous City
Detroit, a crime ridden metropolis, is known to have one of the country’s highest homicide rates. As nighttime approaches, gang and drug violence run rampant in the mean streets of the city. Families live a life of fear, feeling helpless in protecting their children from the evils that lurk in the city.
Dreams of A Better Life
Families with children dream of a better life far away from the city lights. They yearn for the moment they can take a stroll down the street and not have to worry about the possibility of being struck by a stray bullet. These families wish for better schools that could lead to a life of success for their children, instead of gang initiations and high dropout rates.
Evil Lurking In Suburbs
Escaping the dangers of Detroit, countless families have left the urban jungle in the hopes of a greater life in the suburbs of Michigan. But for one particular family, life in the suburbs proved to be a far more dangerous place than the ruthless city streets. In the least expected environment, the sanctuary of our schools, where children are supposed to escape from the cruelties of the world, and follow their dreams, a terrible evil sometimes awaits.
A Brilliant Student
Danya, 16, from the suburbs of Warren, Michigan, was known for her effortless beauty and infectious smile. The popular sophomore at Fitzgerald High School, had a tight knit group of friends, and an endless list of admirers who longed to date the beautiful girl. But, besides her exceptional looks, it was Danya’s phenomenal academic record that really set her apart from her peers.
A Parent’s Dedication
Growing up, Danya’s parents were a driving force in her life by encouraging her to pursue education with the utmost dedication. Danya, a loved and popular student was elected to her school’s student council by her peers. She was also a prominent member of the school’s acclaimed robotics team.
A Promising Future
Danya, a straight-A student and part of the National Honor Society, had dreams of continuing her education at a prestigious college. Danya and her mother worked as a team, juggling her hectic schedule. As a member of cross country, color guard, marching band, and A Generation of Promise, her future was full of potential, but one unexpected incident robbed her of it all.
The Surprise Attack
When many kids dreaded the summer ending and having to wake up early in the morning to go to school, Danya couldn’t wait for the fall so she could attend classes. But, sadly, Danya would soon meet a tragic fate in the place she loved so much. It had been the second day of classes, Danya always on time, was sitting in her seat, when out of nowhere, another student stormed inside the classroom with a knife in her hand.
The Deranged Attacker
The deranged knife wielding attacker, Tanaya, a 17-year-old student at the school, frantically looked around the busy class until she spotted her intended victim, Danya. To the absolute horror of the teacher and students, Tanaya ran around the class with the knife held upwards. Students who witnessed the frightening ordeal claim that Tanaya looked completely deranged, as she laughed loudly with an evil smile slapped across her face.
A Painful Blow
When Tanaya’s eyes locked onto Danya’s, within a few seconds, she ran towards her direction. Tanaya screamed “I’m going to kill her!” Danya, completely surprised by the attack, without any inclination that something of this violent nature would occur, realized she was the intended victim and attempted to escape, but she was caught off guard and in a state of vulnerability, as she felt an extremely painful blow to her back.
The Vicious Attack
Tanaya Lewis cornered Danya Gibson and stabbed her four times with the knife. As Danya screamed, and tried to run away, but Tanaya’s vicious stabbing left her completely impaired and weak. Tanya stabbed Danya in the back, one that punctured her lung, and the final blow, jammed right into her heart.
A Gruesome Scene
Tanaya was not finished attacking Danya, but witnesses said the teacher pushed the suspect away from the victim as one of the students called 911. As Danya’s lifeless body lay in a pool of her own blood, her teacher and friends rushed to her side. A school resource officer immediately began CPR until the ambulance arrived to rush Danya to the hospital.
The Teacher’s Role
And although the stabbing happened quickly, the teacher in the class acted quickly to prevent any further injuries to Danya, and quite possibly, other students in the class. “At the time the teacher was getting the knife out of the girl’s hands so she would harm nobody else,” one student said. “We’ve got to thank God for her because she really played a role in this one. She played her role as she did the right thing.”
Why Do It?
Tanaya ran out of the class with a trail of blood following close behind. “There was blood everywhere she ran,” junior Francesca Pascua told The Detroit News. She didn’t get too far as police arrived to the scene and took her into custody. Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer said the suspect in the stabbing was upset and disturbed, but the question that lingered in everyone’s mind, was why do it?
The Damage Had Been Done
Before investigators could find the possible motive behind Tanaya’s heinous attack, doctors were desperately trying to stop Danya’s immense blood loss, but the damage had been irreparable as her organs had been punctured and stopped working. Sadly, it was too late. Danya was pronounced dead within a hour of the senseless attack, succumbing to the massive blood loss from the final blow to her heart. Her friends, family, and school faculty were utterly devastated at the senseless loss of life, especially someone as brilliant as Danya.
No One Knew
Investigators were no longer dealing with a violent attack, but the tragic murder of a beloved student behind school walls. In order to find answers, police questioned friends and family, and were shocked to find that the deranged suspect was described as a straight-A student with an active school and family life. No one who had known Tanaya, including teachers and students, could have ever imagined her committing any crime, yet alone murder.
A Double Tragedy
When students were asked about Tanaya’s behavior or whether she was aggressive, everybody said no adding that she was playing four square at school the day before the attack. Students also claim that Danya and Tanaya had been friends at one point, but they had drifted apart, and nothing seemed alarming or apparent in their relationship at school. “This is truly a tragedy on both sides,” Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer told The Detroit News. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the victim and the suspect.”
All Over A Boy
Something had triggered Tanaya into a complete rage. And when police investigated even further by reviewing text messages of the murderer, they discovered it had all been an act of jealousy and anger over a boy. Police said recent text messages revealed that both girls were romantically involved with the same boy. The boy is reportedly cooperating with police. “We don’t have all the facts yet, but we have enough information on what happened,” Dwyer said.
The Defense
Tanaya is charged with first-degree premeditated murder and remains held without bond. Currently, Tanaya’s lawyers and family claimed the insanity defense, and that she was not in the right state of mind, nor was it planned when she had stabbed and killed Danya. Tanya was referred to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry for exams to determine competency and criminal responsibility after a request Thursday from her attorney, Mark Brown.
A Premeditated Murder
Prosecutor Eric Smith rejected Tanaya’s insanity defense and said “premeditation is abundant in this case. It’s simple as the fact that she brought a knife to school, that in and of itself is premeditation … the fact that the defendant chased the victim throughout the class.” He also said that the attack was over something as simple as the victim being friends with a boy. He said it’s the kind of high school stuff that everyone has been through, and the fact that it ended up this way was “astounding.”
Was She Found Guilty?
Danya’s aunt, Angela Hudson also isn’t buying Tanaya’s defense based on her behavior in court. Angela said it hurt to see Tanaya in court because “she doesn’t seem remorseful or sorry. She seemed very nonchalant. … It means she don’t care what she did.” Angela and the rest of Danya’s family would like to see Tanaya convicted and get life in prison. Because Tanaya is 17, she could get a period of 25 to 60 years in prison or life without parole. She is currently awaiting trial, but life will never be the same for both Tanaya and Danya’s families, who dreamed of a better life in the calm environment of the suburbs, but instead found themselves in a living nightmare.
