An 11-year-old boy has been questioned by police over the stabbing of an eight-year-old at a school in Melbourne‘s south-east.
The attack happened at Brentwood Park Primary School in Berwick on Thursday morning, just as the bell rang for school to begin.
Brentwood and Kambrya College, both located on Bemersyde Drive, were placed into lockdown about 9am.
The child victim and a female staff member, who also sustained minor injuries, were treated by paramedics on school grounds and did not require hospital treatment, Victoria Police said.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the alleged child attacker, believed to be in Grade 5, assaulted a teacher before running off and attacking a Grade 1 and Grade 2 pupil.
A search of the child’s bag allegedly uncovered two other kitchen knives.
The 11-year-old boy, alleged to be the stabber, was located and spoken to by police before he was later taken to hospital for assessment.
An education department spokesperson said it was working with Brentwood Park Primary regarding an incident involving a young student who behaved in a ‘dangerous manner.’
Brentwood Park Primary School was placed into lockdown after a stabbing
‘The school enacted its safety procedures, and police and paramedics attended the school,’ the spokesperson said.
‘We are supporting both the staff member and the student and are providing additional wellbeing supports to those who need it.’
It is understood the little boy sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the incident.
A police spokesperson said the boy was treated by paramedics at the scene.
The teacher was also treated at the scene and did not need to go to hospital.
The 11-year-old boy was spoken to by police at the scene and later taken to hospital for assessment.
A steady stream of parents continued to come into the school to collect their children throughout the morning and into the afternoon, the Herald Sun reported.
One parent who came to pick up his children told the publication he had heard what happened from his wife.
A warning went out to parents on Thursday
Nearby Kambrya College was also placed into lockdown
‘She is American so it hits a bit differently, so we thought it was best we come pick them up,’ he said.
The incident comes just weeks after several other alarming school lockdowns over alleged knife crime.
On November 19, police were called to reports of two males possibly armed with machetes in the upmarket Bayside suburb of Brighton, 11km south-east of Melbourne’s CBD.
Elsternwick Primary was reportedly put into lockdown over the safety concerns, along with the nearby North Brighton Children’s Centre.
Police attended and found two youths just down the road from the shool on the corner of Martin and Cochrane Streets.
A police spokesperson told Daily Mail that while one of the boys was arrested for possessing a baton and a drug of dependence, no machetes were found.
That incident came a week after Daily Mail reported a school for children with special needs was put into lockdown after machete-wielding teens terrorised leafy suburb of Hampton.
Hampton East School – a junior to year 12 institution for students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities – was put into lockdown on November 11 after reports of machete-wielding thugs outside.
It is understood two men armed with machetes got out of a vehicle on Dane Road, just south-east of Melbourne’s CBD, and were seen chasing two people down the street.
One witness told Daily Mail the victims appeared to be walking past the school when they were attacked by the armed men.
The victims were seen fleeing into a nearby park, pursued by the machete-wielding thugs.
Anyone who witnessed the latest incident, has dashcam/CCTV footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
