A 16-year-old student has been charged with two felony counts of rape after investigators say he sexually assaulted classmates in hallway locations at North Side High School, Fort Wayne authorities confirmed Thursday.
Allegations and charges
Charging documents filed July 10 in Allen Superior Court name De’mykal T. Lockett as the suspect in two reported incidents earlier this year on the Fort Wayne Community Schools campus. Court filings allege the assaults happened in hallway areas and involve multiple victims.
Police say the initial response to the case occurred Feb. 25, when City Police Officer Craig Kiger assisted the school resource officer on a sexual-assault investigation that reported seven victims and one suspect. The charging documents included detailed accounts from two teenagers who described separate assaults.
- A 15-year-old told investigators she met the suspect under a stairwell, where he instructed her to tie her shoe, then pulled down her leggings and sexually assaulted her, according to the affidavit.
- A 17-year-old said the suspect twice forced her to perform a sex act, including an instance shortly after winter break in a hallway where she said she was backed against a door and could not move.
"FWCS is unable to comment on this pending, individual student matter but is aware of the incident and alerted law enforcement as soon as the allegations were made."
School and system impact
North Side had about 1,300 students enrolled last academic year. The allegations and the district’s referral of the matter to law enforcement underscore the potential scope of impact on school safety, student services and community trust. The charging documents filed July 10 did not describe the remaining five reported victims mentioned in the initial police report.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Suspect | De’mykal T. Lockett, 16 |
| Charges | Two felony rape counts (filed July 10) |
| Reported victims in affidavit | Two detailed accounts (ages 15 and 17); police referenced seven victims in total |
| Custody status | Booked into Allen County Jail; held without bond pending initial hearing |
Next steps and community stakes
Online court records showed no initial hearing date listed as of 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The suspect was booked into the county jail and is being held without bond, according to the sheriff’s department website. Prosecutors will decide whether to pursue the felony indictments as filed and whether additional victims or counts will be added based on ongoing investigation and interviews.
For Fort Wayne and Allen County, cases alleging sexual violence on a school campus carry implications for district policies on supervision, school resource officer roles and student support services. They also raise concerns among parents and students about safety in common areas such as hallways and stairwells, and will likely prompt school officials and law enforcement to review procedures and communication with families.
