AUSTIN (KXAN) —A student was seriously injured in a stabbing at Covington Middle School on Thursday morning, according to Austin Independent School District officials.
Covington Principal Cedric Maddox told families in a letter authorities believe a smoke bomb set off the school’s fire alarm just after 9 in the morning. Maddox said within moments of that happening, the stabbing occurred.
Maddox said it is unclear if the stabbing and the fire alarm are connected. Still, he said officers had apprehended the student they believed was involved and that the student who was stabbed was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Principal Maddox said in a statement to families, “While today’s incident took a significant emotional toll on our school community, our campus is safe.”
The district said counselors are working directly with the students who witnessed the incident and will have additional mental health professionals on campus to work with students and staff as needed.
Christian Griego said he was one of the students in the classroom when it happened.
“It had been a normal day. Everyone was just happy, normal, calm day until he had, like, walked over to the table and sat down, and he asked her, ‘Want to see something cool?’ Then he brought out the knife,” said Griego.
Within hours, Austin ISD officers swept the campus and determined it was safe for students to return to class, except for the art wing, which will remain closed while the investigation continues.
Another student, Rosabella Ventura, said the incident caused panic – and fear.
“I was scared, and I was like, sad because it was my friend, and like, I didn’t really know what was going on.”?
