BILLINGS — Nearly 10 months after a stabbing involving a teacher and a student at Billings Senior High School, the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office says it expects to make “movement” in the case this week.
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The case has drawn questions from parents and the community as the investigation has stretched on without an arrest or criminal charges. For Abraham Madinger, whose daughter was in a nearby room when the incident unfolded, the lack of answers has been hard to understand.
County Attorney Scott Twito told MTN on Monday that his office is nearing a decision after reviewing additional evidence and information obtained through subpoenas.
“We're close to a resolution as far as my office,” Twito said. “We're hoping to get that done here in the next few days.”
Related: As Billings Senior High reopens, a January stabbing case remains unresolved
On Jan. 13, Madinger’s daughter, Abigail Madinger, a junior at the time, was reviewing basketball game film with her team inside a classroom when a teacher came running in, bleeding and calling for help.
Madinger said students and coaches were left trying to understand what was happening as they witnessed a frightening and confusing scene.
“Everyone experiencing different emotions, crying, the coaches rushing to help,” Madinger said. “What appears to be someone in grave danger, and you don't know if there's a shooter, you don't know what's going on.”
The teacher was later identified as Jason Rader. The female student involved, who is under the age of 18, has not been publicly identified by authorities.
A Billings School District 2 spokesperson previously confirmed Rader remains a district employee but has not returned to the classroom while an investigation is pending.
"Nerve-wracking, to say the least, to get that news,” said Madinger.
Madinger, who has three children attending Senior High, said a recent lockdown drill brought the incident back to his daughter's mind and prompted him to speak publicly about the case.
"It matters to her. It matters to the students to know,” Madinger said.
Madinger said the uncertainty has been difficult for his daughter and other students who experienced the incident. He said he wants students and families to understand what happened and know their concerns are being taken seriously.
“The basketball team that my daughter was a part of — she wasn't interviewed. Were any of them interviewed?” Madinger asked. "Who is the suspect? Who is a victim? What's going on?"
The case reached the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office in June, about five months after the stabbing. Since then, prosecutors have been reviewing the case, but no criminal charges have been filed.
Twito said the investigation was complicated and required significant time and resources. He said prosecutors recently determined they needed additional information, leading to another round of subpoenas.
“It wasn't two months ago, a month and a half ago, that we were meeting the investigators and we decided we needed to do a whole other level of subpoenas,” Twito said. “That information has since come back, and we've reviewed that information, and now that we've got that done. At least the county attorney's office is prepared to make a decision.”
Twito said investigators have spoken with the necessary parties and that "action will be taken this week" on the case.
“I'm confident based on the incident and the folks that we have spoken to thus far, including some students, that we have a fairly good picture of what happened and what sort of events led up to this,” said Twito.
There has been no danger to the community, and state law limits what prosecutors can disclose while a case is under review, Twito said. His office has remained in contact with the school district, attorneys, and parties involved to the extent permitted by law.
"We can't, by limitations of the law, be in contact with everyone,” said Twito.
What happens next isn't clear. The county attorney's decision could result in criminal charges, a decision not to prosecute, the case being sent back to the Billings Police Department, or a request for further investigative work, for example.
Twito's comments come during his final week as Yellowstone County attorney. He is leaving the position Oct. 25 to become interim U.S. attorney for the District of Montana, adding a leadership transition to the timeline for the case.
For Madinger, the possibility of a decision offers hope that students and families may soon get more clarity about an incident that has stayed with them for months.
“When it comes to a community and a whole school where we have all of our kids being affected by this, we need to know what's going on,” he said. “That's their job.”
Related:
Students return to Billings Senior following Tuesday stabbing
County attorney: Charging decision in Billings Senior stabbing likely 'weeks' away
'They're concerned': Billings Senior preparing for nervous students and staff after stabbing
