Half of Monhegan Middle School's student body was absent Thursday, one day after a brutal fight stopped classes and shocked students.

Some of them started to return Thursday for another shortened school day - this time for "healing and processing."

The brawl broke out early Wednesday morning.

In video that quickly began circulating online, at least three students appear to be fighting another student who is pinned against a wall of lockers.

It begins mostly with flailing punches.

Then, one of the students in the group stabs another student several times, and several onlookers scream.

Later Wednesday, Wallkill police said in a press release that the victim and one attacker were hospitalized.

The victim was in stable conditions, school officials said in their latest update to parents.

"I chose to keep her home yesterday," one parent said while waiting to drop off her daughter Friday. "We had a discussion and everything about it. She wanted to make sure her friends were OK. That's why she's coming back today."

Several parents were at Thursday evening's school board meeting, criticizing the board in their public comments and offering solutions.

Professional mediators from the anti-gun violence non-profit SNUG (GUNS spelled backwards) offered to meet with students.

"They can hear some of the consequences that come with some of the actions they think are trendy or what is culturally driven," Orenzo Charles. "We hope this is an invitation that we could start some of those conversations."

State data show Monhegan had eight assaults during the 2021-2022 school year.

There were 34 assaults among all the district's six schools.

Parents at the meeting Thursday and those who spoke with News 12 Friday before school were split on whether some of the school district's hardening measures were necessary.

They all were curious as to how long the measures, such as metal detectors, will be used.

News 12 is awaiting responses from the district to several inquiries sent since Wednesday.

'It's terrifying': Middletown High School closed Friday due to multiple fights