Student stabs teacher at Queensland primary school
A teacher has been rushed to hospital after she was stabbed by a student at a Queensland primary school.
Police were called to the Heatley State Primary School in Townsville just before 12pm Queensland time after she was attacked with a knife.
She suffered a small, non-life threatening puncture on the shoulder and was taken to hospital.
It is believed a number of students witnessed the incident after the altercation broke out on school grounds.
The 56-year-old teacher was allegedly stabbed by an 11-year-old female student who was later tasered by police.
Senior Sergeant Scott Warrick told reporters it was believed the teacher was stabbed with a small paring knife and did not know what led to the altercation.
“There was a class in the vicinity of the incident ... potentially quite a few people may have been involved,” he said in relation to how many students witnessed the incident.
A student told the Townsville Bulletin they saw the young girl with a knife.
“I thought it was a stick then, but it was shining so it was a knife,” the student said.
A mother who came to pick up her children from school told the publication she was shocked and scared.
The school however told her the children were safe.
Police told Yahoo News Australia the 12-year-old girl involved was assisting police.
The Queensland Department of Education said in a statement the school was committed to providing a safe, respectful and disciplined learning environment.
“Any situation that threatens the safety and wellbeing of students or others in the school community is treated extremely seriously, and dealt with as a matter of priority. Violence in any form is not tolerated in Queensland state schools,” it said.
The department said it was aware of the incident and the school went into lockdown and contacted police and paramedics immediately. The lockdown has since been lifted.
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