LAWRENCE COUNTY, OH (WOWK) -- The man accused of stabbing an elementary school principal at the school has been indicted on 18 counts, including attempted murder and several counts of kidnapping.
Joshua Collins, 43, of Huntington, is accused of stabbing South Point Elementary School Principal Bill Christian on Oct. 24 at the school.
According to court documents, Collins was indicted on Friday on charges of attempted murder; felonious assault; 10 counts of kidnapping; two counts of menacing by stalking; telecommunications harassment; inducing panic; breaking and entering; and illegal conveyance or possession of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordinance in school safety zone.
The man's arrest happened after Collins—a parent of a student at the school—entered the school and stopped by the front office, according to Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless. He said Collins “had been upset over a child custody issue.”
The sheriff said Christian met Collins in the hall just outside the office. As the two men were talking, Collins pulled a knife from his pocket, stabbing the principal in the neck and upper torso, according to Sheriff Lawless.
Christian then went back into the office behind a locked door. Sheriff Lawless said that Collins then broke the glass out of the door’s window and went into the office. The sheriff said Collins pursued the principal through multiple parts of the office and into the cafeteria area.
During the incident, authorities were called and a South Point Police Officer arrived on scene within a minute. Sheriff Lawless said the officer confronted Collins in the cafeteria and took him into custody.
According to the sheriff, Principal Christian was treated on the scene by the school nurse until Lawrence County EMS arrived. He was then taken to a hospital in Huntington. Sheriff Lawless said Thursday evening that he had been stabilized, but had severe injuries.
The criminal complaint filed in Lawrence County Municipal Court referred to Christian’s injuries as “life-threatening.” He remains hospitalized but stable.
Christian has been an educator for more than 30 years and became the principal at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.