1st off: think all of us can agree that no one really wins.
2nd, the only thing that gives me any pause is the fact that yeah, he showed off the pocket knife, but then again, wat 14 year old wouldn't? Also--consider us as adults for a minute: Someone breaks into your home and your usual weapon is not avaliable (i.e. your favorite shotgun is in a gun locker). You see the invader and the guy could fold you in half a few times...what do you use? The nearest weapon avaliable to tilt the odds in your favor. It sounds like the bully was definitly bigger and stronger than the victim, so in the heat of the moment and given the past (as we've been given), yeah, a pocket knife makes sense. In self-defense, there's no such thing as fighting fair. If you're the size of Brian Gionta and you're staring down someone Zdeno Chara's size, you dispense with the fair fight bullshit and dispense some aluminum bat justice.
3rd: yeah, it sounds like the bully was bullied and continued in the process to make up for his lack of self-esteem. Home issues?
And lastly, if there is one thing to blame for the bullying epidemic, IMHO it is these bullshit zero-tolerance policies schools adopt (and some parents). Thus, most "normal" kids are so afraid of getting in trouble or getting a suspension for defending themselves because the schools not only can't police the violence (and never will), but are unwilling to disseminate the difference between a fight and someone being bullied and defending themselves. As such, situations like these get quickly out of hand.
