HollyMatkinCastroville, CA – A 12-year-old boy was stabbed in the chest by another student at Monterey County Middle School on Monday morning (video below).
The unnamed 12-year-old attacker was recorded in a SnapChat video just after the assault, and was seen holding students and an adult woman at bay with a blade gripped in his right hand.
The incident took place in the bustling school courtyard at approximately 8:30 a.m., just prior to the start of class, KSBW reported.
After the assailant stabbed the boy with a six-inch kitchen knife, he threatened to stab other students if they didn’t keep their distance, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Commander Joseph Banuelos told KSBW.
The video showed students nearby running for cover.
Several students began recording the incident with their cell phones. In one video, the knife-wielding attacker was seen pointing his knife towards an adult female, who appeared to be a school employee.
Her motions remained calm and steady throughout the brief video, and she appeared to be talking to the suspect.
The boy was ultimately tackled and subdued by another school employee, and then was taken into custody by police, KSBW reported.
The school went into lockdown for approximately one hour, while a medical helicopter responded to take the victim to a San Jose trauma center, KGTV reported.
According to Commander Banuelos, the boy’s injuries were life-threatening.
The school district superintendent said that his condition was upgraded to stable as of Monday afternoon, KSBW reported.
The incident is under investigation, and police said that the motive for the attack was unclear.
The pre-teen suspect faces attempted murder charges.
Following the incident, more than 100 parents showed up to pick their children up early from school, causing a chaotic scene with parents who were angry they had to wait to retrieve their children, KSBW reported.
Watch video of the student as he faced off with a school employee below: