Just four days into the start of a new school year, one student is dead and another injured after a “physical altercation” on Thursday at a North Carolina high school.
Just after 7 a.m. at Northside High School in Jacksonville, North Carolina, officers were called with reports of an altercation between students on the school’s campus, NBC News reported.
Jacksonville Public Safety Chief Michael Yaniero held a press conference to disclose details about the event, WNCT-TV reported.
According to Yaniero, there was a “physical altercation between students on campus that resulted in the stabbing of two victims.”
There was also a teacher injured, but not stabbed, after trying to help.
Yaniero said that “within 20 seconds” a school resource officer responded to the situation, helped administer medical aid and called for assistance from Jacksonville police as well as the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, WNCT reported.
Both students that were hurt were taken to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, and one student subsequently died.
Yaniero was questioned at the press conference about whether the incident was being considered an official stabbing or not.
He said that at the time, it would not yet be confirmed as an official stabbing.
Should there be more officers on campuses?
“It appears that it is but we have not gotten the autopsy report back,” Yaniero said, according to WNCT. “Obviously this happened several hours ago and so until we gather all of that information, this is active and ongoing. But we do believe it was a stabbing.”
The suspect, who was another student, was also arrested and in custody.
It was unclear what kind of weapon was used in the altercation and no names, either of the suspect or the victims, are being released.
The police said that this is now an active investigation and they are looking into what kind of weapon was used, WITN-TV reported.
Yaniero also said that since the incident took place on the school campus, there were a lot of other students who witnessed the events.
“Yes, and that will take us some time to sort through that,” Yaniero said.
The police will also interview students who saw the attack, WITN reported.
Meanwhile, the school system announced that the high school’s classes were canceled for the rest of Thursday and Friday will be a remote learning day.
All athletic events were also canceled for Thursday and Friday.
WITN reported that students will likely return to in-person school on Tuesday.
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