At least five people were injured in a stabbing on April 30 at a high school in Washington state, authorities and fire officials said.
The Tacoma Police Department received a call at around 1:35 p.m. local time reporting "some type of an altercation" or a stabbing at Foss High School, according to police spokesperson Officer Shelbie Boyd. Officers arrived at the scene and located four students and a security guard who were injured in the incident.
Responding officers later detained the suspect, who was identified as a student at the school, Boyd said. All six were transported to a local hospital. Boyd noted that it was not immediately known what type of injuries the victims sustained.
Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.
"I don't know how many were stabbed, if there were lacerations compared to abrasions," Boyd said during a news conference. "I don't have that information."
The incident occurred during school hours, and the school was placed under lockdown, according to Boyd. Officers later released students into the parking to reunify with their families, and some students were able to leave on buses.
Foss High School is a public school located in central Tacoma, Washington, a port city about 30 miles south of Seattle. The school had 557 students enrolled at the start of the 2025 to 2026 school year, according to state records.
All injured victims in stable condition
Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd told USA TODAY that the fire department responded to reports of a stabbing at the high school at about 1:38 p.m.
"When Tacoma Fire arrived on scene, crews immediately treated and transported five patients to local hospitals," Shepherd said.
Four people were initially transported to the hospital in critical condition, while one had only minor injuries, according to Shepherd. In an update shortly before 4 p.m., the fire department said all injured victims were now in stable condition.
A sixth person who was injured was taken into custody, Shepherd said. The fire department evacuated that person from the scene and transported them to a local hospital with minor injuries.
Washington high school cancels classes for remainder of the week
In a statement to USA TODAY, Tacoma Public Schools said there was an incident at Foss High School involving students and staff. The district confirmed that the school went into lockdown at around 1:38 p.m. local time and students were safely dismissed at about 2:45 p.m.
"Police and fire were deployed to the scene," the district said. "Five students and one staff member were injured. An individual was apprehended and is in police custody."
Due to the incident, the district said school and after-school activities were canceled for May 1. The school will reopen on May 4, and counselors and additional administrative staff will be on site to provide support for staff and students, according to the district.
"We are grateful for the quick, calm action of our staff and our first responders," the district said. "This incident is still under investigation and discipline have not yet been determined."
Previous school shooting in 2007
In 2007, an 18-year-old Foss High School student fatally shot his 17-year-old classmate in a school hallway, the Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune reported. The shooting occurred shortly before the start of classes as students crowded the hallway, the newspapers said.
The shooter, Douglas Chanthabouly, was convicted in 2009 of second-degree murder and sentenced to 23 years in prison, according to the Seattle Times. At the time, the News Tribune reported that a Pierce County Superior Court judge had said the incident affected "the entire community."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: At least 5 injured after stabbing at Washington state high school
