A midday stabbing incident tied to a pre-existing dispute left six people wounded at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Thursday, according to local law enforcement and emergency response officials. Five student victims and one adult security guard were rushed to area hospitals shortly after first responders arrived at the campus, with emergency medical crews confirming Friday morning that all injured parties are now in stable condition.
The Tacoma Police Department confirmed that the suspect taken into custody is a current student at Foss High School, who also sustained minor injuries during the altercation. Shelbie Boyd, public information spokeswoman for the Tacoma Police, told reporters the suspect has been formally charged with five counts of first-degree assault. Multiple law enforcement agencies were already processing evidence at the scene by mid-afternoon, with Boyd noting that responding officers arrived within minutes of the initial 911 call placed at 13:35 local time.
“Officers moved quickly to locate the suspect, secure the entire campus, and make sure no further harm came to students or staff,” Boyd said in a press briefing Thursday. Initial statements from the Tacoma Fire Department had reported four critical injuries shortly after the incident, but authorities updated that status just two and a half hours later, confirming all six patients had stabilized by 16:00 local time. Boyd added that the investigation will remain active through the night, and investigators are asking any members of the public who captured cell phone video of the incident to submit that footage to the Tacoma Police to help piece together a full timeline of events.
In an official update posted to the school district’s website Thursday evening, district officials announced Foss High School will remain closed to all students and staff on Friday, with plans to reopen the campus on Monday, May 4. Licensed mental health counselors will be available on site beginning Monday to provide emotional support for students, faculty and staff affected by the violence. The incident marks the second high-profile violent attack on the Foss High School campus in nearly 20 years: in 2007, an 18-year-old student fatally shot 17-year-old Samnang Kok in a school hallway, before being convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 23 years imprisonment.