SURREY — A 17-year-old Surrey boy is facing a charge of assault causing bodily harm related to the stabbing of another student inside Princess Margaret Secondary Thursday.
The incident happened during shop class shortly after 2 p.m. An altercation broke out between a couple of Grade 12 students and one was stabbed in the back and the side several times.
The suspect left the school running, according to police. Then, around 4:30 p.m., he was arrested after he called into police to identify who and where he was. The boy, whose identity is shielded by the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was held in custody overnight an is expected to appear in Surrey provincial court later today (Friday).
Police said the 18-year-old man who was stabbed is recovering from wounds that aren't considered to be life threatening.
"We always take stabbings very seriously and we await the outcome of his medical condition," said RCMP Sgt. Dale Carr.
It has yet to be established if the weapon was brought to school or was in the shop class.
Surrey School District spokesman Doug Strachan said the school went into lockdown mode until police arrived, but was able to release students after 20 minutes.
"There's certainly a buzz in the school but we expect things to be pretty much back to normal tomorrow and we're obviously anxious to hear how the student is doing," he said Thursday..
Strachan said the school district is making available any support for students and staff who need it, but will be focused on getting things back to normal.
"To the best of my recollection, in the 11 years I've been in this district I don't recall an incident like this inside a school," he said.
Before the suspect was apprehended, Carr said police weren't "overly concerned" with people having to look out for him.
"We know where he lives. We know his name. It's just a matter of us waiting for him to either get home or track down where he is. We've been in touch with family of his and it's just in our view a matter of hours before he's in our custody," he said before the suspect was arrested.
Carr gave "kudos" to the school's lockdown procedure, which he said "worked like a charm."