Six Injured in Stabbing at Washington High School
Student suspect detained after altercation at Foss High School in Tacoma
Six people have been injured following a stabbing incident at Foss High School in the US state of Washington, after what authorities described as an altercation.
According to the Tacoma Fire Department, five students and an adult security guard were taken to hospital on Thursday. Officials later confirmed that all victims are in stable condition.
Police said the suspect, a student at the school who was also injured during the incident, has been taken into custody. The individual has been booked on five counts of first-degree assault, according to Shelbie Boyd of the Tacoma Police Department.
Emergency services responded to reports of an active assault at about 13:35 local time. Fire personnel treated and transported six individuals from the scene to nearby hospitals.
Initial reports indicated that four students were in critical condition, but authorities later confirmed that all victims had stabilised by around 16:00 local time.
Officials said the violence stemmed from “some type of an altercation,” with police arriving quickly to secure the situation and detain the suspect.
Investigations are ongoing, with authorities appealing to the public to submit any video footage that may assist in the case.
Following the incident, the school will remain closed on Friday and is expected to reopen on Monday, May 4, with counsellors available to support both students and staff.
The incident has also drawn attention to a past tragedy at the school. In 2007, a student was fatally shot in a hallway at the same institution, in a case that resulted in a conviction and a lengthy prison sentence for the perpetrator.
