Boy, 10, Accused of Stabbing 7-Year-Old Girl 3 Times with Kitchen Knife at Elementary School Playground
“A 10-year-old with a knife attacking someone? I can’t even fathom how that could happen,” a community member said of the incident
Authorities say a 10-year-old boy was detained after a serious incident involving a 7-year-old girl at an elementary school playground in California. According to investigators, the situation unfolded during school hours and quickly prompted an emergency response.
On Thursday, March 12, the Mountain View Emergency Communications Center received reports around 3:30 p.m. local time that a student participating in an after-school program at Benjamin Bubb Elementary School, located in the 500 block of Hans Avenue, had been stabbed in the school’s play area, according to the Mountain View Police Department.
After patrol officers arrived at the scene, the school was placed on lockdown as officers located the 7-year-old victim, who had sustained three stab wounds to the shoulder from what is believed to have been a kitchen knife, per police. The City of Mountain View Fire Department treated the child at the scene before releasing her to a parent.
While the 10-year-old, who was not enrolled in the after-school program, initially fled the scene ahead of the officers’ arrival, officials later located residential video and were able to identify the boy after “recognizing him from prior contacts.”
With the assistance of a Los Altos Police Department K-9, police tracked the suspect to his home and detained him without incident. Custody of the child was then transferred to clinicians from Pacific Clinics, Santa Clara County’s juvenile mental health services provider.
According to local outlet KTVU, the 7-year-old victim is now in recovery. One of her peers, who was at the dentist at the time of the incident, told the outlet that the situation left her “scared” despite not witnessing it herself.
“At least I wasn’t there,” the third grader said. “I’m kind of worried about her because we’ve never had that.”
Lori Parsons, who lives near the elementary school, added, “A 10-year-old with a knife attacking someone? I can’t even fathom how that could happen.”
As other community members described the alleged stabbing as a “complete shock,” the Mountain View Whisman School District shared a statement on the incident.
“We’re very grateful the student is expected to be okay,” the school district wrote, per KTVU. “The safety of our students is always our top priority. Staff acted quickly, and police responded immediately. Our focus now is making sure students and staff have the support they need.”
