A teenage boy, aged 15, has been apprehended following an incident where a teenage girl was stabbed at a secondary school. Authorities responded to Thorpe St Andrew School located on Laundry Lane, near Norwich, around 10:30 am on Wednesday after receiving reports of the stabbing. The injured girl was taken to the hospital with minor wounds.
The arrested adolescent is being held on suspicion of causing severe physical harm with intent and has been transported to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for interrogation. The school was put on lockdown at approximately 10:25 am, instructing students to power off their phones and take cover under their desks, as reported by the BBC.
In a message to parents, the school confirmed that they initiated a full lockdown, keeping all students in their classrooms under the supervision of their teachers and announcing an early closure at 1 pm. The area around Laundry Lane remained sealed off until around 2 pm, according to the police.
A spokesperson from Norfolk Police stated that emergency services, including fire and ambulance teams, responded to the scene following the incident at the school. The victim, a teenage girl, sustained minor injuries and was promptly taken to the hospital. The 15-year-old boy in custody is being probed for causing severe bodily harm with intent and is being questioned at Wymondham Police Investigation Centre. Authorities confirmed that this incident is not related to a prior hate crime incident at the same school.
An update from the police at 5:49 pm corrected the age of the arrested boy to be 15, not 16.
Alice MacDonald, the Labour MP representing Norwich North, described the stabbing as “extremely serious and concerning.” She emphasized the need for police to ensure the safety of everyone at the school, expressing her thoughts for the affected individuals and their families.
Owen Jenkins, the chief executive of the Broad Horizons Education Trust overseeing the school, acknowledged the distressing nature of the incident for the entire community. He highlighted the importance of providing support to all students during this challenging time as investigations proceed.
