Teen girl airlifted to hospital after being stabbed in Clermont, police say

CLERMONT, Fla. - A 16-year-old girl was airlifted to the hospital after being stabbed in the neck last night, according to the Clermont Police Department. 

Around 9:20 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 5th Street and Carroll Street in response to a fight between two groups of kids, according to police. Upon arrival, they discovered a 16-year-old girl with a wound to her neck that seemed to be caused by a sharp object, officers said. 

After receiving immediate medical attention from police, the girl was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center where she is expected to make a full recovery, according to the officers. 

At this time, no arrest has been made, but the suspect is believed to also be a teenage girl, police said. All involved in this incident are children and known associates of the victim, officers stated. The Clermont Police Department believes that this is an isolated incident and that there is no danger to the public. 

In a statement, Police Chief Charles "Chuck" Broadway said: 

"We are encouraged that the victim from last night’s incident is in stable condition. Our thoughts and prayers remain with her entire family as she begins her road to a full recovery.
I want to commend our officers, who quickly responded to provide medical aid, and our detectives, who immediately began an investigation.   Their actions and quick response not only helped ensure the victim received immediate medical attention but also allowed valuable investigative information to be collected that we believe will lead to the identification of the suspect."

The fight happened a couple of blocks away from a big food truck event in downtown Clermont. Police say school resource officers were tipped off about the fight earlier in the week, so they had already tripled security at the event, which helped officers to respond to the incident quickly. 

"They [the teenagers] went to a location, like two and a half blocks away from the event in the exact opposite direction of all the law enforcement personnel that were there. And so they appeared to be very determined to have this altercation. And they found a location that was well away from the police presence," said Lt. Malcolm Draper with Clermont Police.

Police say during last month's food truck event there were also reports of another fight between teens. In that case, there were no injuries reported, and the teenagers scattered quickly. Clermont Main Street, which runs the food truck event, posted a statement on Facebook on Saturday.

"We extend our thoughts and prayers to all involved in this isolated incident. We fully support the City of Clermont Government and the Clermont Police Department in this investigation. We are certain that justice will be swift and we are certain that justice will be served," the post read. 

Clermont Main Street is urging people to attend a community input meeting on April 10 from 4 to 7 PM. It will be held at the Arts & Rec Center in Clermont.