A terrifying scene unfolded at a high school in Tacoma, Washington, after a violent altercation escalated into a mass stabbing that left several students and a security guard injured.
The incident happened around 1:38 p.m. on April 30 at Foss High School, triggering an immediate lockdown as police and firefighters rushed to the campus.
Witnesses described pure panic as the situation spiraled out of control.
“He has a knife! He has a knife!” someone could be heard shouting in video footage obtained by local media, capturing the moment the fight broke out.
Students say the aftermath was horrifying.
“They were all on the floor and some of them were bleeding,” one student said. “One of them was real injured. There was blood on the floor.”
According to witnesses, a security guard who tried to intervene and break up the fight was stabbed in the forearm during the chaos.
“There was a lot going on. People were screaming,” the student added.
Authorities confirmed that multiple people were injured during the altercation, including five students and the security guard. Earlier reports indicated that four victims were in critical condition, while others suffered less severe injuries. By Thursday night, all victims were reported to be in stable condition.
Police say the suspect is a juvenile student who was also injured during the incident and has since been taken into custody. The teen has been booked on five counts of first-degree assault, though their identity has not been released.
Officials are still working to determine what sparked the violent confrontation.
Law enforcement secured the campus and set up a reunification area for parents, allowing students to be safely dismissed later in the afternoon.
Tacoma Public Schools later announced that classes would be canceled the following day as the community processes the shocking event.
“This is not normal. This should never be normalized,” a former student told reporters, echoing the fear and disbelief felt by many.