Luther Public Schools Superintendent Barry Gunn says that all after-school activities are canceled for today, but school will resume as normal tomorrow.
He said the school was never on “lock-down” but just locked in at the high school until we knew it was an isolated attack,” he said.
During a morning assembly in the high school on the first day of school on Thursday, a 14-year-old male student allegedly stabbed a 14-year-old female student.
She is hospitalized, described as stable. She was stabbed several times.
Gunn praised the students and teachers for their calm and effective response to the chaos.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our students and high school teachers. They couldn’t have followed safety procedures or remained calmer” said Gunn. He said Luther has the greatest teachers and students in the world.
Earlier he told reporters that he knows both students involved and there was no known conflict between the students. “We had no idea,” he said.
There was a softball game scheduled for after school that will be rescheduled. And a football scrimmage is scheduled tomorrow night.
A Bright Tomorrow Counseling service has two counselors at the school today to help with students. In addition, a counselor is with the victim’s family at the hospital.
Meanwhile, the community, parents and students are shaken up, obviously. Families are hurting and reeling. Since we are a small town with a tight community, many of you know both the victim and the suspect. The Luther Register will never identify those students without parental consent, or identification from authorities. They are only 14-years-old, both of them. If you know the families or someone from school, you might reach out to them with support: food, friendship or gentle ways to help as you are led.
The Luther First Baptist Church is hosting a community wide prayer service Thursday at 6 pm.
Thank you for the coach that stopped it.