Man believed to be longest-serving school principal in the US hospitalized after attack

CHALMETTE, Louisiana (WVUE/Gray News) – A man believed to be the longest-serving school principal in the country is in the hospital recovering from surgery following an attack Sunday night.

Wayne Warner, principal of Chalmette High School for more than 50 years, was on his way to his apartment when he was attacked, officials said.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Christopher Kidd, was allegedly knocking over trash cans when 79-year-old Warner asked him what he was doing. Officers said Kidd then pushed Warner onto the concrete and stole his phone.

“Mr. Warner is a great man and is known for helping people,” said Sheriff James Pohlmann. “That’s why he stopped and got out of the vehicle to help this young man. He probably thought this guy had some kind of problem and wanted to help him. He probably didn’t expect the violence to turn against him like that.”

Wayne Warner’s wife Kitty Warner posted on social media that her husband underwent surgery to repair a broken hip and elbow on Tuesday and will now require “months of rehab.”

“They treated the elbow first,” Kitty Warner wrote in her update post. “They put a plate and some screws in his elbow. The hip did not need to be replaced. They used screws and pins to hold the hip in place.”

“The doctor said they want to get him back on his feet (on Wednesday). I can’t imagine being able to walk again after what he’s been through, but we’ll see.”

Kitty Warner expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of condolences toward her husband, who is a beloved figure in the St. Bernard community.

“Thank you to everyone who cares about Wayne. He really is one of the good ones,” she wrote.

Kidd was arrested for the attack and charged with simple assault, second-degree robbery, simple assault of a sick person and assault on a police officer, authorities said.

Pohlmann said Kidd was a former student at Chalmette High and was tracked down after officers received a call about a shoplifting incident at a nearby convenience store.

“Mr. Kidd was on site and was identified as the person who stole over-the-counter medications,” Pohlmann said.

Kidd reportedly struggled with officers before being removed from his wheelchair, stunned with a stun gun and arrested. He will be evaluated by medical personnel to determine if he needs mental health support or rehabilitation.

A man and a woman who called 911 after hearing Warner’s cries for help said they found him about five minutes after the attack and said he was lucid. They did not want to be identified.

Warner has been principal of Chalmette High School since 1973. He began teaching at the school in 1966.

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