IFN Staff

A Statesville woman faces several charges, including felony assault, in connection with an incident at Third Creek Middle School on Wednesday morning.

Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of Saifah Nadiah McCollum, 35, of Hickory Avenue, Statesville, in a news release Friday morning.

Soon after McCollum arrived at the school about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday for a meeting with school administration regarding a student, her behavior became increasingly disruptive, raising concerns about the safety of staff and students, Campbell said. The school resource officer on duty responded to the disturbance and attempted to escort McCollum from the building to de-escalate the situation, according to the news release.

McCollum refused to comply with repeated verbal commands and became physically aggressive, the sheriff said.

During the incident, McCollum kicked over a stool, knocked decorations from a table, and charged toward the officer, according to the news release. The officer acted quickly to restrain her and prevent further disruption.

As the officer attempted to place McCollum under arrest, she resisted by punching, clawing, and biting the officer while shouting obscenities, despite being given multiple commands to stop resisting and place her hands behind her back, Campbell said.

McCollum was taken into custody and transported to Iredell Memorial Hospital for medical clearance before being taken to the Iredell County Detention Center, where she was charged with Felony Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer; Felony Resist, Obstruct, and Delay an Officer; Misdemeanor Assault on a School Employee; Misdemeanor Communicating Threats; Misdemeanor Damage to Property and Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct on School Property.

Magistrate R. Imes issued a $75,000 secured bond.

The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to maintaining safety within Iredell-Statesville Schools and will continue to work closely with school administrators to ensure a secure environment for students, faculty, and staff, Campbell said. Disruptive or aggressive behavior toward school personnel or law enforcement will not be tolerated and will be met with immediate and appropriate action to protect everyone on campus, he added.