Alleged Cafeteria Stabber, NJ School Served In Assault Lawsuit

WAYNE, NJ — The lawsuit regarding a stabbing in a Wayne school's cafeteria is moving forward, according to recent court filings.

Lakeview Learning Center, an alternative therapeutic private special education school on Van Duyne Avenue, is facing a lawsuit a year after staff members failed to intervene in a violent attack against a student, court documents read.

Additionally, the person accused of being behind the attack, then 18-year-old student Rayshawn Christian, has been served the lawsuit.

Christian, who faces several criminal charges in addition to the civil suit, pleaded not guilty to weapons and assault charges. He was indicted in February and is awaiting court proceedings, according to NJ Courts.

Related: Teen Stabbed Repeatedly In NJ School Cafeteria While Staff Watched, Lawsuit Says

On Monday, two affidavits of service were filed on the NJ courts' site. The first was delivered to a "managing agent" of Lakeview Learning Center on Sept. 10.

The second was successfully delivered to Christian's father on Sept. 15, according to the affidavit of service.

Background

On May 19, 2025, a 14-year-old Lakeview student identified only as J.W. was eating lunch in the facility’s cafeteria when Christian, listed as a defendant, initiated an argument, the suit reads.

The conflict escalated, and no staff members stepped in, according to the lawsuit.

Eventually, Christian pulled a pocket knife out and began stabbing J.W. several times in the chest, arms, and abdomen, the suit says.

The violent attack lasted several minutes, until Christian stepped away from J.W., who had to escort himself to the nurse’s office with no help from the staff, according to the suit.

The incident left J.W. in the hospital for a month, where he underwent treatment for several lacerations, including stab wounds near his heart, the suit reads.

The suit adds that a friend of Christian posted photos of J.W. being taken out of the school on a stretcher, alongside text that read “(J.W.) was talkin allat shii know look u!! left on a stretcher told u stop playin.”

The same user also posted several photographs of guns with ominous threats to J.W., according to the lawsuit.

Following the incident, J.W. was “terrified of returning to Lakeview,” leaving him with no alternative but to attend homeschooling, the suit says.

The plaintiff, J.W.’s parent, claims negligence, specifically negligent supervision and training with regard to Lakeview. The suit also names Christian, who is being sued for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other counts.

Patch has reached out to Lakeview Learning Center representatives for comment, but they were not immediately available.