Police say four teenagers were charged with gang assault and harassment after they allegedly took part in a stabbing of a 16-year-old student in a high school in Astoria, Queens on Wednesday.

Investigators say four Queens teenaged boys -- 19-year-old Louis Giron, 18-year-old Daniel Nicholas, 17-year-old Jerome Davis and a 15-year-old boy, were involved in the stabbing at around 12:15 p.m. Long Island City High School in Astoria, Queens this afternoon.

After a fight broke out in a fifth floor hallway, the victim was stabbed in the back, according to authorities.

Police say he was taken to Elmhurst Hospital and is listed in stable condition.

Two of the suspects were taken into custody at the scene and two others were apprehended off school grounds nearby, according to police.

The school was not evacuated, but students said teachers kept them inside classrooms.

"I was walking and then I just saw cops run up the stairs, three. And then I heard, I just heard screaming in the hallways," said a student.

"I just got to lunch and then a kid came up to me and said that somebody just got stabbed on the fifth floor, supposedly got stabbed in the arm," said another. "I know they had us on lockdown for about two minutes in the lunchroom."

Long Island City High has been identified by the federal government, the state and city as a struggling school. It has 3,300 students, about 1,200 more than it is built for.

It has a graduation rate of 60 percent, lower than the citywide average.

In a Department of Education survey last year, 70 percent of responding students said there is gang activity in the school, 93 percent said students get in physical fights there and 83 percent said students threaten and bully other students.

Also, 34 percent of students said they do not feel safe in the school.

"Stuff like that happens everyday at this school, not like stabbings, but fights and stuff," said one student.

Parents said an incident like the stabbing is unusual at the school, but thought maybe the school should consider increasing security.

"Put metal detectors so nothing like this ever happens again," said a parent.

"I've always felt that they seem to know what they're doing here, and they keep the children under control for the most part," said another. "I'm shocked."

A school aide who said he worked at Long Island City High for three years felt there is enough security.

"This is a completely isolated incident and the NYPD and school safety both acted exemplary in putting the matter to bed," he said.

Last year, the city considered closing the school, but instead decided to spend $5 million in federal funds on a three-year plan to try to save it. This is year two of that plan.