A teacher and two pupils were stabbed at a school in Manchester on Tuesday morning, with a 14-year-old schoolgirl arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault.
Emergency services were called to the Co-op Academy on Plant Hill Road in Blackley at about 08:30 BST after reports of multiple stabbings. Students were locked down in their classrooms as police and ambulances arrived, with a helicopter seen overhead and crime scene investigators later at the scene.
“A 14-year-old girl arrested after teacher and two pupils stabbed at Manchester's Co-op Academy.”
The three victims — a 14-year-old girl, a 14-year-old boy and a 27-year-old male teacher — were taken to hospital. The girl suffered a shoulder injury, the boy an injury to the ear, and the teacher was stabbed in the neck. All three are in a stable condition and their injuries are not believed to be serious, Greater Manchester Police said.
Chief Inspector Jon Shilvock said staff at the school were quick to detain the girl, ensuring no further harm came to pupils or staff before officers arrived shortly afterwards. “We understand that this incident will have caused concern to pupils, staff and the wider school community,” he said. “The incident was swiftly and quickly dealt with by staff before officers attended to arrest the girl.” He added there is believed to be no wider threat to the public.
Headteacher Phill Quirk sent a message to parents saying everyone was safe and the incident had been contained, but the school would remain closed for the rest of the day. Parents were asked to contact their children to arrange their departure.
Peter Woods, the father of a year nine pupil, came to the school after getting a call. “You hear things on the news but it's always in other schools. You never think it will be in the school where your kid goes,” he told BBC Radio Manchester. “For it to happen on your doorstep, it's terrifying.” Woods said he is concerned about sending his child back to class and wants to know what measures the school will have in place to prevent a repeat.
Another parent, Aureo Dombaxe, said he arrived to drop off his son and saw a “flood of police”. “When other parents informed me, it was heartbreaking,” he said. Abel Lemos, who has a daughter in year seven, said “you get really afraid when you hear something serious has happened at the school” and called for serious thought on how to avoid such incidents.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham issued a statement describing it as a “very serious issue”. “As I understand it, it's not an intruder coming into the school, it would appear to be an issue within the school,” he said.
Officers remain at the school and in the area to provide reassurance. The arrested girl is in custody for questioning.