Breaking!
CASTROVILLE, Calif. —
A student was viciously stabbed in the chest by another student at North Monterey County Middle School in Castroville Monday morning, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim and assailant are both just 12 years old, Deputy Joseph Banuelos said.
The stabbing happened in the school’s quad at 8:30 a.m., minutes before classes were scheduled to begin.
After stabbing the boy, the attacker threatened to stab other classmates if they came near him, Banuelos said.
Staff members subdued the attacker and he was taken into custody.
The victim was flown to a Bay Area trauma center. Banuelos said the boy’s stab wounds are life threatening.
The school went on lockdown for one hour.
More than 100 parents went to the school to take their children home. By 11:30 a.m., parents began voicing frustrations that the reunification process was taking too long. Some parents had to wait more than three hours to see their kids.
“It’s ridiculous. To me it’s like a jail that our kids are getting out of,” parents Dennis Keldsen said. “They won’t let us go see our kids. I’ve been here for two hours and I finally got to see my son.”
Investigators said the motive behind Monday’s school violence remains unclear.
With the accused attacker in custody, deputies said they do not think any more students are in danger.
The student is facing attempted murder charges. His name was not immediately released.
This breaking news story will be updated.