Wales school stabbing – latest: Girl, 13, charged with three counts of attempted murder
Police and ambulance called out to Amman Valley School in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire
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Your support makes all the difference.A 13-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at a secondary school in Wales.
The three people injured in the attack at Amman Valley School in Carmarthenshire on Wednesday morning have now left hospital, where they were treated for knife wounds.
Two air ambulances were sent to the school, also known as Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, as emergency services swarmed the scene.
Parents waited for several hours at the gates of the school, which was “in lockdown”, before tearfully being reunited with their children as the school day ended.
The teachers injured are reported to be Fiona Elias, the deputy head, and Liz Hopkin, a special-needs teacher. In a statement on the school website, headteacher James Durbridge praised staff and pupils for their “calm and mature response” to the lockdown.
Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price – a former pupil at the school – described it as a “centre point for the whole community” and said pupils and families have been “shocked and shaken”.
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Council leader ‘humbled’ by determination to get pupils back to classrooms
The leader of the local Camarthenshire County Council has said he was “humbled by the strength, resolve and determination by all involved to see our children return to their classrooms as soon as it is safe to do so”.
Councillor Darren Price said: “On behalf of Carmarthenshire County Council, I would like to express our relief that the three injured individuals have been discharged from hospital and we wish them a speedy recovery.
“Yesterday’s incident came as a great shock to everyone and I would like to recognise the excellent response of the staff and pupils at the school, council staff and all emergency services involved.
“I am humbled by the strength, resolve and determination by all involved to see our children return to their classrooms as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Amman Valley school ‘a centre point for the whole community'
Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price – a former pupil at Amman Valley School – described the school as a “centre point for the whole community” and said pupils and families have been “shocked and shaken”.
A bilingual comprehensive school for pupils aged between 11 and 18, Amman Valley provides education to 1,450 school pupils, in addition to 270 sixth form students.
Questions about school safety in Wales will be asked in Senedd, politician says
Cefin Campbell, the Senedd member for Mid and West Wales, said there would be questions asked in the Welsh parliament about security in schools across Wales.
“Let’s hope it’s a one off, but you just don’t know the way the society has changed. We have to ask questions about the way we move forward,” he told BBC Radio Wales.
“We certainly don’t want to go down the route of America but there are parts of the UK where bags are checked every day, there’s metal detectors, as well as random checks by police.
“None of us want to go down that road but we’ve just obviously got to ask questions. What lessons can we learn from this?”
School lockdown lasted four hours
The south-west Wales school went into lockdown after a “code red” alarm sounded through the PA system, during which students and staff are said to have hidden in classrooms - with one pupil reportedly vaulting the school fence to get to safety.
The lockdown lasted around four hours between 11.20am and 3.20pm, resulting in a lengthy and anxious wait for parents who were seen tearfully hugging their children after they walked through the gates.
School to remain closed on Friday
While online lessons will continue, the school will stay closed for in-person teaching on Friday, Carmarthenshire County Council has said.
The school was also closed on Thursday as police continued their investigation.
Victims’ injuries ‘not life threatening’, police say
Teenager to appear before court on Friday
The 13-year-old girl charged with attempted murder after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at a school in south Wales will appear at court on Friday, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
Michael Cray, senior Crown prosecutor at CPS Cymru-Wales, said: “A youth who cannot be named for legal reasons has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article on a school premises.
“The youth has been remanded in custody to appear before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court tomorrow on Friday April 26 .
“Criminal proceedings are active and the defendant has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Police chief thanks emergency services for ‘swift’ response
Speaking outside Amman Valley School on Thursday evening, Superintendent Evans thanked medics for their “swift response” in helping victims involved in the incident.
He said: “I would once again like to thank our colleagues at the Welsh Ambulance Service and Wales Air Ambulance Service for their swift response to this incident.
“As well as the NHS staff who treated those who were injured, the charitable organisations who are supporting those affected by this incident and the vigilant members of the public who reported their concerns to us.”
Full report: Teenage girl charged with attempted murder
A teenage girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after three people were stabbed at Amman Valley School in Carmarthenshire.
A 15-year-old boy has also been arrested and remains in police custody on suspicion of making threats referencing the stabbing incident at Amman Valley, Dyded-Powys Police said in a statement outside the school on Thursday evening.
You can refresh our breaking report below for updates:
Girl, 13, charged with attempted murder after Wales school stabbing
A teenage girl has been charged with attempted murder after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at a school in Wales.