Teen stabs 22 at Pennsylvania high school

A 16-year-old boy with a “blank expression” flailed away with two kitchen knives, stabbing and slashing 21 students and a security guard in the crowded halls of his suburban Pittsburgh high school before an assistant principal tackled him.

At least five students were critically wounded, including a boy whose liver was pierced by a knife thrust that narrowly missed his heart and aorta, doctors said. Others also suffered deep abdominal puncture wounds.

The rampage which came after decades in which U.S. schools geared much of their emergency planning toward mass shootings, not stabbings, set off a screaming stampede, left blood on the floor and walls, and brought teachers rushing to help the victims.

Police shed little light on the motive.

The suspect, Alex Hribal, was taken into custody and treated for a minor hand wound, then was brought into court in shackles and a hospital gown and charged with four counts of attempted homicide and 21 counts of aggravated assault. He was jailed without bail, and authorities said he would be prosecuted as an adult.

At the brief hearing, District Attorney John Peck said that after he was seized, Mr. Hribal made comments suggesting he wanted to die.

Defence attorney Patrick Thomassey described him as a good student who got along with others, and asked for a psychiatric examination.

The attack unfolded in the morning on Wednesday just minutes before the start of classes at the 1,200-student Franklin Regional High School, in an upper-middle-class area 24 km east of Pittsburgh.

20 hurt in school stabbing spree in Pennsylvania

MURRYSVILLE: A 16-year-old boy with a "blank expression" stabbed and slashed 19 students and a police officer in the crowded halls of his suburban Pittsburgh high school Wednesday before an assistant principal tackled him.

At least five students were critically wounded, including a boy who was on a ventilator after a knife pierced his liver, missing his heart and aorta by only millimeters, doctors said.

The rampage — which came after years in which U.S. schools have geared much of their emergency planning toward mass shootings, not stabbings — set off a screaming stampede, left blood on the floor and walls, and brought teachers rushing to help the victims.

The motive was under investigation. Police didn´t immediately release the name of the suspect, who was taken into custody and treated for a minor hand wound.

He later appeared before a judge, shacked by his hands and feet and dressed in a hospital gown. Charges were expected to be filed soon.

The attack unfolded just minutes before the start of classes at 1,200-student Franklin Regional High School, in an upper-middle-class area 15 miles (24 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh.

It was over in a matter of minutes.Witnesses said the boy with the knives at first tackled a freshman and stabbed him in the belly, then got up and ran wildly down the hall, slashing other students.

Nate Moore, 15, said he saw the first attack and was going to try to break it up when the boy got up and slashed his face, requiring 11 stitches.

"It was really fast. It felt like he hit me with a wet rag because I felt the blood splash on my face. It spurted up on my forehead," he said.

The attacker "had the same expression on his face that he has every day, which was the freakiest part," Moore said.

"He wasn´t saying anything. He didn´t have any anger on his face. It was just a blank expression.

"Doctors said they expected all the victims to survive, despite large and deep puncture wounds to the abdomen in some cases.

The wounded campus police officer was treated and released. Authorities credited an assistant principal with subduing the assailant. They gave no details, but students identified the educator as Sam King and told local news organizations that they saw him tackle the boy after the youngster stabbed the campus officer.

King´s son told The Associated Press that his father was treated at a hospital, though authorities have said he did not suffer any knife wounds.

"He says he´s OK. He´s a tough cookie and sometimes hides things, but I believe he´s OK," Zack King said.