Boy, 13, arrested for ‘attempted murder’ after two children stabbed at school

A 13-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two pupils were stabbed at a school in north London.

The two victims, boys aged 12 and 13, were taken to hospital in a serious condition following the attack at Kingsbury High School in Brent earlier today.

Police had launched an urgent hunt for the teenage suspect, and this evening confirmed a 13-year-old boy is in custody.

Detectives are keeping an open mind about a possible motive behind the attack but said counter terror officers will take over the investigation ‘due to the surrounding circumstances’.

In an update, Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams said: ‘The suspect, who we believe to be 13, left the scene following the stabbing.

‘After urgent inquiries, our officers arrested him and also recovered a weapon which we believe to have been used in the stabbing.

‘The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody for questioning by our officers.’

He said police were ‘keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind the attack’, but added: ‘Due to the surrounding circumstances, the investigation is now being led by officers from counter terrorism policing London who are working closely with our local officers in response to this incident.

‘The investigation has not currently been declared a terrorist incident, and the investigation team will now be working at pace to gather any evidence and to establish the full circumstances of what’s happened as quickly as possible.’

Mr Williams said detectives are awaiting an update on the boys’ conditions, but said they were understood to be ‘serious’.

The headteacher of the school said the incident was ‘a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community’, in a letter to parents and carers.

Alex Thomas said: ‘I fully appreciate that this will be very upsetting news to hear and, as you can imagine, this has been a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community.

‘The situation is under control, but a live investigation is taking place. We are working closely with the authorities and I will provide further updates as soon as I am able to share confirmed information. Please keep the students and their families in your thoughts.’

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said she is ‘heartbroken’ about the stabbings.

In a post on X, she wrote: ‘My heart goes out to the families affected and the young people, teachers & school community at this awful time.

‘We are in contact with the school and council to offer support. Investigations are now underway.’

The leader of Brent Council said it is ‘horrifying to think of how someone so young came to be in possession of a weapon capable of causing such harm’.

Councillor Muhammed Butt thanked the emergency services and school staff for their ‘swift response’, and said: ‘This is a deeply shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured, their families and the whole school community. No parent should ever have to fear for their child’s safety at school, and it is horrifying to think of how someone so young came to be in possession of a weapon capable of causing such harm.’

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, incident response officers an advanced paramedic, a paramedic from our tactical response unit and a clinical team manager. We also dispatched a trauma team in a car from London’s Air Ambulance.’

Kingsbury High School is an academy school serving children aged 11 to 18, with both upper and lower sites.

According to the latest Department for Education information, it has 1,997 pupils.

It traces its origins to Kingsbury County School, which opened in 1925 in a building which had been the office of the former Aircraft Manufacturing Company. It moved premises in 1932.

Alumni include Wham’s George Michael, jazz musician Courtney Pine, Floyd Steadman the first black captain of the Saracens rugby team, and writer Ekow Eshun.

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