A 14-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder following a knife attack at a school in Manchester and is due to appear in court on Friday.
Police said on Thursday evening that she also faces two counts of possessing a bladed article on school premises. She is scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London.
According to Greater Manchester Police, two 14-year-old pupils and a 27-year-old male staff member were injured in the incident at Co-op Academy on Plant Hill Road in Blackley on Tuesday morning.
The girl, who was detained under the Mental Health Act, has been released to police custody following an assessment by health professionals.
Police said the investigation had been passed to counter-terrorism officers due to circumstances around the incident but that at this time it has not been declared a terrorist incident.
Detective Chief Superintendent Jonathan Chadwick, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said: “These are extremely serious charges against a young girl and, working closely with Greater Manchester Police, we continue to support the victims and their families and offer support to the wider school community, who have been deeply affected by what happened.
“Although charges have now been secured, our investigation is still ongoing, and we continue to work with local policing colleagues in the Blackley area.”
All three who were injured have been released from hospital and suffered no serious injuries, police previously said.
Chief Inspector Jon Shilvock said, “Our thoughts are with those that were injured and were caught up in the incident.
“Whilst the physical injuries were not believed to be serious, we know the impact to those that were involved or were witnesses to this will be significant, and we want to reassure our community we are taking this very seriously.
“As our investigation progresses, we are aware that names relating to the incident are being circulated on social media, which are unhelpful for the investigation.
“This is also causing concern with the victims and those that have been impacted, therefore we would stress that people do not speculate regarding this incident.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
