TACOMA, Wash. — Authorities in Tacoma, Washington rushed to Foss High School Thursday afternoon after receiving reports of a knife attack that left six people wounded, including the student responsible for the assault.
Four students and one adult security guard sustained injuries during the incident, while the attacking student was also hurt and taken into police custody, according to Tacoma Police Department spokesperson Shelbie Boyd.
Emergency responders from the Tacoma Fire Department arrived at the school at 1:38 p.m. following the attack report, said spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd. Medical crews provided treatment and transported five victims to area hospitals, with four listed in critical condition and one suffering minor wounds.
The student suspect, who was the sixth injured person, remained under police supervision while receiving medical care at a local hospital for minor injuries. By late afternoon, all victims were reported to be in stable condition.
Fire department officials declined to specify the exact nature of the injuries sustained during the incident.
“The school is secure, and we are currently investigating. Parents can pick up their kids in the student’s parking lot. There’s a reunification area there,” Boyd explained.
School officials implemented immediate lockdown procedures at 1:38 p.m., with students safely released from the building at 2:45 p.m., Tacoma Public Schools confirmed in a written statement. All school activities and after-school programs scheduled for Friday have been called off.
Classes will resume Monday with mental health counselors available on campus to assist students and faculty members.
“We are grateful for the quick, calm action of our staff and our first responders,” district officials stated.
