Two students and a teacher were seriously injured in an alleged stabbing at Black Hawk Middle School in Warrenton, Missouri, on Thursday morning.
Police said a juvenile student allegedly attacked the three victims during school hours, prompting an emergency response from local authorities.
Warrenton Police officers received the emergency call and arrived at the school at approximately 8am.
However, the suspected attacker had already fled the scene before first responders arrived.
Police Lock Down School and Arrest Suspect
Authorities immediately launched an investigation and placed the school under lockdown as they searched for the suspect.
The juvenile student was located shortly after the investigation began and subsequently taken into custody, police confirmed.
Meanwhile, emergency personnel provided medical assistance to the injured victims before transporting them to hospital.
One of the students was airlifted from the scene in serious condition, while the teacher was transported by ambulance.
Police later confirmed that all three victims were in stable condition.
“There is no continued threat to the community,” the department said in a statement.
Student Describes Terrifying Moments During Lockdown
Keegan Aubuchon, a sixth-grade student at Black Hawk Middle School, described the frightening moments after the school announced the lockdown.
Speaking to First Alert 4, Aubuchon said the stabbing occurred directly outside his classroom while he was with his friends.
He explained that students immediately switched off the lights and locked the classroom doors after hearing the announcement.
The children then took out their phones to contact their parents while remaining inside the locked classroom.
“We just sat there quietly and heard screaming,” Aubuchon recalled.
“I just wanted all my friends to be OK and everyone else to be OK.”
Parents Gather Outside School Following Emergency Alert
Hundreds of worried parents reportedly gathered outside the school after receiving alerts about the incident, waiting to be reunited with their children.
James Besselman, whose son attends sixth grade at the school, raised concerns about bullying, describing it as a significant problem at the institution.
Although he said he did not know what triggered Thursday’s attack, he expressed concern that warning signs may have been overlooked.
“I don’t know what brought on this situation today, but I told them in the principal’s office that I don’t want my son to be a situation of, ‘What could we have done differently?'” Besselman told First Alert 4.
He added: “I don’t know if there was bullying involved, what happened, what provoked this.
However, somebody knew something. Somebody could have done something to prevent this.”
Victims Released From Hospital as Investigation Continues
According to First Alert 4, the injured teacher and one of the students had been released from hospital by 1.50pm on Thursday.
Police have not disclosed what led to the alleged stabbing or provided further details about the juvenile suspect.
Authorities said additional information would be released when appropriate, stressing that they would not compromise the investigation or the privacy of those involved.
The department also confirmed it was working with school administrators and other emergency response agencies to support the investigation and ensure the safety of students, teachers and school personnel.
Police urged members of the public to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of the victims and their families as investigations continue.
