Attempted murder charges laid over school stabbing
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ctvtoronto.ca
Date: Wednesday Jun. 17, 2009 8:11 PM ET
Two youths involved in a nasty fight at a Mississauga high school on Wednesday that left five people injured are each facing a charge of attempted murder plus related weapons offences.
The two youths, aged 16 and 17, are scheduled to appear in a Brampton court on Thursday. Due to provisions in the Youth Criminal Justice Act, they cannot be named.
The incident took place at 8:28 a.m. at St. Joseph Secondary School, located at 5555 Creditview Rd.
When police arrived, they found four injured student-age victims and one injured teacher, who had tried to break up the fight. She suffered minor injuries and was not transported to hospital.
Two male students were rushed to Credit Valley Hospital with "severe" stab wounds, according to Brad Bowie with Peel EMS -- although police later said the injuries weren't life-threatening.
One of the other two victims was also taken to hospital.
Students at the school told reporters that the fight was retaliation for an altercation that took place on Monday over allegations of theft. Police say they are investigating the rumours.
The school was put under lockdown for about an hour. Administrators sent students home and closed the school for the remainder of the day as a result of the police investigation.
The school is to reopen on Thursday.
Students told reporters of screaming and crying going on in the school in response to the violent confrontation.
Worried parents flocked to the school to hug their children after finding out about the melee.
D.J. Mantas was one of those parents. She found out about the incident via a text message from her daughter.
"This is not something any parent wants to hear, or wants to see -- or to get a text message from her daughter that she's in lockdown because kids got stabbed," she said through tears.
"This is wrong. This is wrong."
Student Jennifer Rocha had praise for the wounded teacher, saying she was "really brave" for stepping in.
Bruce Campbell of the Peel District Catholic School Board told reporters: "This is not necessarily representative of the school. This is what's going on in society; the school is part of our community."
With reports from CTV Toronto's John Musselman and Dana Levenson
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