The 13-year-old student who stabbed his teacher in a language arts class said he had “surprise” for her before the stabbing, according to the teacher’s father.
The school’s principal Ryan Queen said the student had the knife in his bookbag. “Help was called and while our SRO [School Resource Officer] was responding to the room the young man grabbed another student. Our SRO was able to enter the classroom and disarm him without harm to anybody else,” Queen stated in a letter to parents.
“I ask that you keep our teacher who was injured in your thoughts and prayers. In addition, we know this has touched our entire community—from our teachers who comforted our injured teacher and our other teachers who are concerned about their friend and co-worker to our students who may be anxious about this situation and parents who have understandable concerns,” he added.
School officials said the suspect was taken into custody afterward.
No students or other staff members were injured physically in the incident.
The school was placed on lockdown over the incident, but it was lifted at around 3:30 p.m. ET.
Gwinnett County is located around 30 miles northeast of Atlanta.
The teacher’s father told WSB-TV that his daughter didn’t have any problem with the student suspect prior to the attack. “He said he had something to give her but it was too big to bring up. A surprise to give her. So he walked up to her desk. He rummaged around in his backpack and pulled a knife and stabbed her.”
The father also thanked the students and faculty for saving his daughter’s life.
Students and teachers returned to Trickum Middle School on Oct. 23, with an increased police presence on campus.
In the above-mentioned letter, Queen also asked parents to calm down the students and assure them that they’re safe.
“Tell children the truth. Don’t try to pretend the event has not occurred or that it is not serious. Children are smart. They will be more worried if they think you are too afraid to tell them what is happening,” he said.
