Stabbing leaves Ottos Comprehensive student hospitalised

A male student remained hospitalised up to late yesterday with multiple stabs to the upper body, following a confrontation with a classmate at Ottos Comprehensive School. The other student who allegedly did the stabbing was arrested on the school’s compound and taken away by police who were questioning him up to last night. Up to press time, he had not been charged.
Both students are said to be in their early teens. An eyewitness said that the incident occurred shortly after 9 a.m. in a second form classroom while the students were attending a remedial class. It is alleged that the two second formers have been feuding for some time, but the reason for their disagreement was not divulged to the media. The witness said, “He wasn’t unconscious but it was multiple stab wounds. Some people are reporting up to eight stab wounds with a knife.”
OBSERVER Media was told several students and teachers reportedly intervened and separated the students and up to that time the injured teen had only received two stabs. “A lot of people in the class tried to intervene and part them but they actually rushed back in a second time and that’s when he got most of the stabs,” that witness added. According to the witness the injured teen was conscious when the ambulance arrived, but he was bleeding profusely.
After the incident, the principal called an assembly and random searches were conducted on students. The witness said that the teachers found scissors, lighters and some other banned items on several students and these prohibited items were all seized. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology issued a press statement yesterday afternoon acknowledging it was aware of the incident.
The Director of Education Clare Browne condemned the incident in the release, stating that violence in schools will not be tolerated. He visited the wounded student and his parent yesterday. According to the press statement, the education official promised “to deal with the matter in accordance with the law.” Browne is said to be awaiting a report from the school’s principal before his ministry begins its investigation