Roller rink to host skate night, fundraiser honoring slain Kansas City middle schooler
Manuel Guzman was fond of many things: football, cars, cooking. But skating, his mother said, took the cake.
The 14-year-old student at Northeast Middle School in Kansas City could often be found lacing up his skates with friends.
Last week, Guzman’s life was cut short when he was stabbed to death in the school bathroom by another student. He was transported to Children’s Mercy in critical condition, but died later that day.
In his honor, Winnwood Skate Center, a roller skating rink frequented by Guzman at 4426 NE Winn Road in the Northland, is hosting a skate night.
The two-hour skate session, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, is open for all ages. Donations taken at the door will go to Guzman’s family.
On Monday, Guzman’s family members and friends rallied outside of the school, pleading for answers and demanding an explanation from administration about how the stabbing could have happened at a school with metal detectors, security and a policy requiring clear backpacks. Students at the school join in, staging a walk-out as Guzman’s family rallied.
Kansas City Public Schools Superintendent Mark Bedell said last week that officials are investigating the stabbing, including what led up to it, as well as reviewing security protocols. Bedell was scheduled to speak at the Board of Police Commissioner’s meeting Tuesday to address the Guzman’s death.
Mayor Quinton Lucas said Monday, however, his visit had been postponed, “to provide more time for the school community to heal.”
Another male Northeast Middle School student was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in Jackson County Juvenile Court. His identity has so far not been made public because he is a juvenile.
“I don’t understand how this is a school with more than 500 students and they only have two security guards,” Guzman’s mother, Vicenta Guzman, 33, told The Star last week. “I want justice for my child. He did not deserve to be stabbed six times.”
Manuel Guzman’s family also started a GoFundMe to help pay for his funeral costs.
The Star’s Aarón Torres and Sarah Ritter contributed.
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 7:17 AM.
