Stabbing in Pennsylvania high school

    April 9, 2014 in the small town of Murrysville, 20 miles east of Pittsburgh, sophomore Alex Hribal from Franklin Regional Senior High School was convicted of stabbing and slashing 20 fellow students and a 60-year-old security guard. The knives used were two eight or ten inch steak knives. Hibral violently ran through the hallways, stabbing students and then the security guard, starting in the science wing of the school. He was tackled by the schools assistant principal, Sam King, and the school’s resource officer hand cuffed him by the main entrance of the school.

   The first 911 call was received at 7:13 on that Wednesday morning. The doors had just opened for the students. Students were just arriving at the school, and some walked in on the incident. Students said they saw blood all over the walls and floor and could hear people screaming. The entire incident only lasted five minutes. The incident may have been limited because at some point student Nate Scimio pulled the fire alarm to give a warning to students to evacuate the school. Scimio is now known as a hero to some students and staff. It is unknown what lead to the violent attack.

   “Hibral wasn’t one you would expect this from. He had good grades, friends, and he wasn’t bullied much,” said classmates, according to ABC news.

   Murrysville is a small suburban city with a low crime rate. It is rated in the top 50 highest performing schools in Pennsylvania, with 98% of their students graduating. The school has been updating its security system, although they did not have metal detectors, which might have found the knives.

   It is still unknown what led to this violent attack. One thread that police are looking towards is a phone call the night before the incident with another student that could have been an argument, but it is still yet to be confirmed. Parents of Hibral say that they never heard him arguing on the phone during the evening or night and that he was home all evening.

   Hibral has been charged with four counts of attempted homicide and 21 counts of aggravated assault. Four students still remain in critical condition.  One student was stabbed, puncturing his lung, barely missing his heart.

   Many schools in the United States are updating security systems to prevent crime in their school. Metal detectors are being installed in schools. Also, it is becoming harder to even get into a school. You must present ID and get buzzed in and, in some schools, you are not even allowed in the schools during the time students are present.