Students at Bradford High School in Kenosha were sent home early after a stabbing inside the building Tuesday morning.
According to Kenosha Police, one juvenile student stabbed another one in the chest just before 8:30 a.m.
"A Kenosha Police School Resource Officer at the school intervened and immediately took the suspect into custody," police said in a news release.
The school went into soft lockdown mode for two hours as a precaution.
TODAY'S TMJ4 spoke with friends of the victim and they are shocked about the entire situation. They say the victim and suspect were actually friends at one point, though they're not sure why the two were fighting or why it escalated to this magnitude.
"We weren't allowed to leave the classrooms at all," said BHS student Austin Duczak.
"Our teachers were just trying to keep us calm," said BHS student Lexie Ward. "Nobody comes to school and expects they're going to get stabbed. That's just crazy."
"When parents send their kids off to school, nobody is going to think my kid is going to be stabbed in school or anything," Ward also said. "It's supposed to be a safe environment but I guess that changed today."
Ward's mother, Tenya Duffie, said she received a text message from her daughter that the school had been locked down.
Duffie said she immediately drove back to Kenosha from her job in Northern Illinois.
"I'm still shaking," Duffie said. "I just thank God she was safe, and that the rest of the children are safe."
For Duffie, she's still concerned about her daughter's safety.
"I'm just so nervous," Duffie said. "You don't know what these kids are going to do, what they're thinking. Parents are teaching them the best they can. All the things that are happening in the world, just really was scared for her safety and the other children."
However, police and district officials stressed Tuesday afternoon that they believe the stabbing was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public or any other students.
Police also said the weapon used in the stabbing was recovered.
Officers were expected to remain on scene investigating and doing evidence work well into the afternoon.
The victim of the stabbing was flown by a Flight for Life helicopter to an area trauma center, where they are currently being treated for life-threatening injuries, according to police.
The Kenosha Unified School District issued the following statement regarding the incident:"Due to the active crime scene at Bradford High School and our concern for our students’ well-being, we initiated an early dismissal at 10:30 a.m. for Bradford students and have canceled all Bradford after school activities. School will be in session tomorrow and additional counselors will be on hand. The district wants our students, staff and community to know that the alleged suspect and weapon are in police custody and there is no imminent threat to others. We have been and will continue to work closely with the Kenosha Police Department on this incident. Our thoughts are with the hospitalized student and the family." (Statement issued: April 25, 2017 1:19 p.m.)
Check back often for updates on this developing story.
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