Five Wounded in Stabbing at Tacoma High School, Juvenile Suspect Charged With Five Counts

A juvenile student stabbed four classmates and a campus security officer at Henry Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington, on Wednesday afternoon, leaving all five victims hospitalized — four initially in critical condition — before all were reported stable. The student suspect was detained at the scene and later charged with five counts of first-degree assault, according to CBS News and FOX 13 Seattle.

The Details

Emergency responders were dispatched to Henry Foss High School at approximately 1:35 p.m. local time on April 30, according to CBS News and NBC News. The attack left four students and one campus security officer cut or stabbed. All six individuals — the five victims and the juvenile suspect — were transported to area hospitals, CBS News reported.

The Tacoma Fire Department reported that four of the patients arrived in critical condition, with one sustaining minor injuries, according to CBS News. All six, including the suspect, were later reported stable, CBS News, NBC News, and FOX 13 Seattle confirmed.

Police detained the juvenile student at the scene. Authorities subsequently said the suspect was charged or booked on five counts of first-degree assault, according to CBS News and FOX 13 Seattle. Law enforcement has not publicly released the suspect's identity. The identities and ages of the victims have also not been disclosed.

The school was placed on lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Students were later reunited with parents, and both regular classes and after-school activities were canceled for the remainder of Friday, NBC News and FOX 13 Seattle reported.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Tacoma Public Schools wrote: "This incident is still under investigation and discipline have not yet been determined," according to NBC News. Police have not publicly described the sequence of events that preceded the stabbing, and no official motive has been confirmed. Witness and parent accounts reported to FOX 13 Seattle and MyNorthwest suggested the altercation may have started over a vape pen or vape battery, but Tacoma police have not confirmed those claims, and they should be treated as unverified.

Context

Henry Foss High School is a public secondary school in Tacoma, Washington, a city approximately 30 miles south of Seattle, according to CBS News. Emergency dispatchers received calls reporting the incident between 1:35 and 1:38 p.m. local time, placing the attack in the latter part of the school day, CBS News and NBC News reported.

Authorities have not released further details about the victims' medical conditions beyond the initial critical and stable designations issued on the day of the attack. Police have not publicly identified the suspect beyond confirming the individual is a juvenile student who was enrolled at the school.

What's Next

The investigation into the stabbing is ongoing. Tacoma Public Schools said Wednesday that disciplinary determinations had not yet been made, according to NBC News. The juvenile suspect faces five counts of first-degree assault; no court dates or further legal proceedings have been publicly announced as of the time of reporting.

School officials have not confirmed when classes will resume at Henry Foss High School or what additional safety measures, if any, will be in place before students return.