Edgewater senior stabbed schoolmate, police say

The suspect, 17, and 4 others attacked 3 teens near a school-bus stop early Friday, officials say.

Melissa Patterson

Sentinel Staff Writer

September 22, 2007

An Edgewater High School senior who threatened to kill a busload of students faces an attempted-murder charge after stabbing a schoolmate with a switchblade and beating two others with a pipe early Friday, Orlando police said.

Alyssa R. Orlang, 17, attacked the teens as they walked to a bus stop near Marks Street and Ferncreek Avenue about 6:45 a.m., according to the arrest report. She also was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Police found Orlang at Edgewater High and took her to the Juvenile Assessment Center. It was unclear Friday whether she would be tried as an adult.

The victims were treated at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Treca Morris, 14, had deep cuts to her arm and back. Her brothers, Trevell Morris, 17, and Joe Clinton, 16, were treated for minor head injuries, police said.

A spokesman for the Orange County School District said the charges against Orlang, especially associated with a school environment such as a bus stop, would constitute the highest student-conduct code infraction.

Though expulsion must be approved by the School Board, it's usually a consequence of similar misconduct, he said.

"I can't say categorically that she will be expelled, but I'd say the likelihood is high," said school-district spokesman Dylan Thomas.

Treca Clinton, mother of the victims, said she thought Orlang's attempted-murder charge was justified.

"She was aiming to kill her [Treca]," Clinton said. "If she had stabbed her on the spots that she cut her on her back, she would have died."

The injured teens told police that Orlang and four unidentified males, some with their faces covered, jumped out of the bushes near the bus stop.

According to the police report, officers suspect one of the males was Orlang's boyfriend. Orlando spokeswoman Sgt. Barbara Jones said the investigation is continuing and more arrests were likely.

Orlang's father, Raymond Orlang, said he would not comment until he hired a lawyer.

The victims told police that last month Orlang had threatened to stab and kill everyone on her school bus. Orlang confirmed the story and also acknowledged that she had threatened on Thursday to kill Treca Morris, the police report said.

Treca Clinton said she couldn't grasp why Orlang would be allowed to continue attending school and riding the bus under such circumstances.

"She should have been expelled right then and there, and she shouldn't have been on the bus ever," Clinton said. "You threaten that many children on the bus in front of everybody -- something should have been done."

Melissa Patterson can be reachedat mpatterson@orlandosentinel.comor 407-418-5924.