5 wounded in stabbing attack at Washington state high school, police say

At least five people were wounded Thursday in a stabbing incident at a high school in Tacoma, Washington, authorities said.

The incident was reported at Henry Foss High School a little after 1:30 p.m. local time, Tacoma Police Department spokesperson Shelbie Boyd told CBS News.

According to Boyd, police were called to the school on a report of a possible stabbing or altercation and arrived to find four wounded students and a wounded campus security officer. All five victims and a suspect were either stabbed or cut, Boyd said. 

The suspect, a juvenile, was detained at the scene, Boyd disclosed. 

The five victims and the suspect were transported to several area hospitals, Boyd said. Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd told CBS News in an email that four of the victims were in critical condition and one had minor injuries.

The suspect was taken into police custody and evaluated at the scene by firefighters before being taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, Shepherd said.

All six were last reported to be in stable condition, Shepherd added. 

The suspect was later charged with five counts of first-degree assault, Boyd told CBS News.

The circumstances that led to the attack were unclear. Tacoma police detectives and forensics officers were on scene conducting an investigation.  

The campus was locked down, Boyd said, and police arranged for parents to meet their children in the school’s parking lot.

Classes were canceled for Friday but the school will reopen Monday with counselors and added administrative staff on hand to support staff and students, the school said on its website.

Tacoma is located about 30 miles south of Seattle.