8-year-old boy slashes students with knife at Minnesota school, at least three injured
An 8-year-old student reportedly knifed at least three other children in a central Minnesota elementary school on Monday. Authorities said that the child was carrying a kitchen knife and randomly attacked other students.
Saulk Rapids Police Chief, Perry Beise, said that the victims of the incident, aged 8, 9 and 13, were from Pleasantview Elementary School. Reports state that the children suffered "superficial wounds" which required stitches.
The school is located in Sauk Rapids, which is nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis. The school district's website states that the elementary education institution has 720 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
According to the School Superintendent, Bruce Watkins, the boy continued attacking other students until an adult saw what was happening and intervened. The incident reportedly took place in a school hallway and lasted for about 5 minutes. No one else was injured in the incident.
Watkins told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the incident occurred at around 7:15 am as students were arriving for their classes. The attacker, a second-grade student, reportedly took out a knife from his bag and slashed three students with it. Shortly after the incident, the school officials called for an ambulance service and police.
Police officials reportedly interviewed the boy about the incident and he was subsequently released to his parents. Officials say that the case will be forwarded to the county prosecutor's office.
One of the injured student, who was a seventh-grader, was waiting to catch a transfer bus, while the other two were students of Pleasantview Elementary.
School officials said that shortly after the incident, the authorities made mental health counselors available to the students and staff. Classes ensued as usual after a while.
The School Superintendent added that the attacker will not be allowed to back in the school, reports state.
The issue of weapons inside the school premises is at the forefront in the United States. The problem became a taking point after the Florida school shooting where a 19-year-old former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland opened fire in the campus with his legally-bought AR 15 rifle, killing 17 people. Most of the victims of the massacre were students and teachers.