Sarah Piccolo, the 16-year-old Nebraska high school student accused of attacking 17-year-old Ellen Kopetzky with a hammer and knife in a school bathroom, was found in Kansas after a day-long manhunt.
Lincoln police said that Piccolo, a Pius X High School student, was taken into custody in Woodson County, Kansas after a person called about car trouble in the area, reported 1011 Now.
Police are accusing Piccolo of stabbing Kopetzky with an 8-inch survival knife. She is also accused of hitting her in the back of the head with a claw hammer, which was recovered from the bathroom.
Kopetzky was left with cuts on her face, mouth, and chin.
In the alleged attack, police said that Piccolo was hiding in the bathroom when Kopetzky entered before she sprung on her with the hammer and knife. Authorities said Piccolo didn’t say anything during the attack.
Kopetzky’s family said the girl was released from the hospital after she was treated, reported Omaha.com. The family said they are appreciative of the support.
“[We] are rejoicing that Sarah Piccolo has been found, and that she is safe. We are continuing our prayers for her and her family. We hope that she will be treated with respect, with charity, and with dignity,” the family said. “We pray especially that the Piccolo family will be supported by this community as we have been.”
Reports said that she was discovered by herself and was charged with First Degree Assault and Use of a Weapon to Commit a Felony.
“She will be detained at a juvenile detention facility in Kansas until she can be transported back to Lancaster County,” Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood told the New York Daily News in an e-mail.
“It is up to the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office to determine whether she will be charged as an adult or juvenile,” she continued.
Lincoln Police Capt. Jim Davidsaver told the Journal Star the attack was the first he’s seen at a Lincoln-area school in his entire 27 years on the force.
