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Piper High Stabbing Suspect Bonds Out Of Jail

SUNRISE (CBSMiami)-- A South Florida high school student charged with attempted murder in the stabbing of a classmate at Piper High School in Sunrise made his first appearance in bond court Friday.

The judge had set bond at $36,500 for senior Kimanie King, 18.

King walked out of the Broward County Jail Friday evening with his family and attorney by his side.

King is accused of stabbing sophomore Urique Wilson, 15, at the school, located at 8000 NW 44th St. Sunrise police say the attack happened in the school's gym Thursday after the two students started fighting over a basketball game.

In court Friday, it was revealed King is an honor roll student, on the soccer team and works at Winn-Dixie. His defense attorney told the court the alleged stabbing was completely out of character for him.

"He's an honor student at Piper, he's never been in trouble a day in his life, he's certainly not a flight risk, he plays for the school soccer team and he's employed part-time at Winn-Dixie, he's also going to be graduating next month with honors," said his attorney William Barry Paul.

Prosecutor Eric Linder countered with the argument that King has made threats to other students in the past.

"In addition to the alleged level of violence in the report, based on the allegations what causes me concern is the allegation from another student witness who heard him say that 'he would stab somebody if they bumped into him again while he was in the gym.' It shows that there may not have been premeditation necessarily to stab this student it shows there was a certain premeditation, he would stab somebody if they bumped into him," argued Linder.

According to an arrest affidavit, King told police he was acting in self-defense and pulled the knife out of his back pocket because he was being beat up.

Urique Wilson was hospitalized at Broward Health recovering from two stab wounds; one in the chest area near his heart and another in the back.

Wilson was released from the hospital Friday afternoon.

"I give praise to God every day because right now, he saved my son," said Joseph Watson, Wilson's father. "Without prayer and God in his life, he wouldn't be here today. [The blade] was one centimeter from his heart."

While Wilson is in stable condition, his father said he is in pain and traumatized.

"He's terrified," said Watson.  "I mean imagine, he's 15-years old and he got stabbed. That's any parent's nightmare right there, to find out their kid is stabbed."

Police said the weapon was a folding pocket knife approximately 5 inches in length when opened. The blade is approximately 2 ½ inches in length.

King is charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon on school grounds. A judge said it is possible the first charge could be reduced to aggravated assault.

Piper High School was placed on lock down after the stabbing Thursday afternoon, schools from all over South Florida were on campus for an orchestra competition.

Tom Alberts drove from Coral Gables when he heard the news to check on his son.

"It was a half hour drive with a lot of trepidation," he said.  His son goes to Coral Reef High School and was at the school to compete. "When I found out about it, your heart's in your throat because there's a stabbing. You don't know who's stabbed, why it happened or how many people are involved."

The stabbing comes after a brawl at the same high school last week left another student in the hospital.

"This is the second time this week....It's a nice school now, but I don't know with this. Things are happening everywhere," said Delmy Villera, a concerned parent.

Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said the incidents are not related and that the school is safe.

"We see no concern about the safety of our students at this school," said Runcie.  "There's no pattern, no concern for parents to draw any long term conclusions about Piper High School. It's a good school."

The judge said King won't be allowed back on campus but will be able to graduate with honors online.

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