A teacher who was stabbed alongside her colleague and a pupil by a teenage schoolgirl has been named as the school’s head of year seven.
Drama and Welsh teacher Fiona Elias was revealed to be among the three being treated for non-life threatening injuries after the incident this morning.
Police have arrested a teenage girl student on suspicion of attempted murder after she allegedly stabbed the two teachers and a young pupil with a butterfly knife.
The 1800-pupil school was put in lockdown and a ‘Code Red’ was announced over the speaker system – with children told to shut themselves inside classrooms and keep their heads down until police arrived.
A video taken by a pupil in the playground was posted on social media, showing what appeared to be a stabbing take place before the suspect was overpowered by a male member of staff.
It is understood that a Year Nine pupil, a girl aged 14 or 15, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and taken away in handcuffs for questioning.
Both teachers were airlifted to hospital following what police called a ‘multiple stabbing’ at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman (Aman valley School) in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.
Drama and Welsh teacher Fiona Elias was revealed by the BBC to be among the three being treated for non-life threatening injuries after the incident this morning
A teacher is among three people injured after a horror knife attack at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman secondary school in south Wales, police revealed today
The staff member at the school, also known as Amman Valley School, was allegedly ‘slashed across the neck’ in the knife attack shortly after 11.15am
Emergency services including police and two air ambulances raced to the school this morning following reports of a ‘major incident’
An aerial view of the scene following the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman (Aman valley School) stabbing
Teacher Darrel Campbell (pictured) is said to have intervened to wrestle the butterfly knife from the teenage girl
The injuries suffered by the two teachers and the pupil are not life-threatening, Dyfed-Powys Police said.
Eye-witnesses said one was slashed across the throat with a butterfly knife and six paramedics carried her into a helicopter on the school playing field.
Grandmother Maria Davies, 50, said: ‘She didn’t look very good – there were medics all around her. We are all just praying she pulls through.
‘Not long after I saw the schoolgirl in handcuffs being taken into a police car.’
Mrs Davies was among hundreds of worried parents who dashed to the school gates after video of the stabbings was posted on social media.
Dyfed-Powys Police later reassured them saying an arrest had been made and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the stabbings.
A young student who jumped the school fence to escape said: ‘It was at the end of the morning break when I heard Code Red being called over the speakers.
‘I’ve never heard one before but I knew what it meant.
‘You’re supposed to run to a classroom but I was closer to the school fence so me and a few other boys jumped it.’
Some pupils hid in cupboards where they messaged their parents to let them know what was happening inside the bilingual school.
But most were kept inside locked classrooms and told to keep their head down until the danger had passed.
The shocking aftermath of the stabbing was caught on video, in which one boy could be heart shouting: ‘That girl’s got stabbed.’
The video appears to show two girls on the ground in an outside area before one is pulled away by staff.
One boy can be heard saying: ‘What the f***, what the f***?’ before a teacher orders the students to ‘get to class now’.
A male pupil said: ‘It was horrible, there was blood all over the ground but I didn’t panic.
‘Both teachers were badly hurt but one was stabbed in the neck. She is one of the best teachers here, everybody likes her.’
Hundreds of parents arrived at the school gates after hearing about the stabbing on social media.
The school is currently under ‘code red’ and pupils have been put in the canteen in order to preserve the crime scene
Police and worried parents waiting at the school gates of Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, also known as Amman Valley School after a multiple stabbing this afternoon
The school was placed on ‘code red’ and students were not released from lockdown until officers had spoken to classrooms individually, one parent said
One parent said: ‘This is a quiet area and a nice school with a good community. We just can’t figure out what has gone on’
Superintendent Ross Evans, Carmarthenshire Commander, said: ‘Just after 11.20am this morning we received a call advising us of an incident at Amman Valley School in Carmarthenshire.
‘Emergency services immediately attended and the school was locked down for the safety of all on the premises.
‘Three people – two teachers and a teenage pupil – have been taken to hospital with stab wounds. The family members of all those injured have been informed.
‘A teenage girl has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and currently remains in police custody.
‘I would like to reassure parents and the public that the incident has concluded, and pupils have now left the school.
‘We are working with the school and other agencies to ensure appropriate support is available to all involved.
‘This was a very distressing incident and our thoughts are with the victims, their family and everyone impacted by what has happened.
‘I am aware that there is footage of the incident currently circulating on social media and would ask that this is removed to avoid contempt of court and distress to those affected.
‘I would also ask that people do not speculate while there is a police investigation ongoing.
‘We are working with the school, Carmarthenshire County Council, and other agencies to ensure appropriate support is available to all involved.
Parents waiting outside the school gates waiting outside before they tearfully embraced their sons and daughters when they were released at about 3.20pm
The alleged incident is said to have taken place at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, also known as Amman Valley School, in Ammanford in the west Wales county. Pictured: Two air ambulances on the school field
The Welsh language school has 1,800 pupil aged 11 to 18. The school is situated in the north of the Ammanford town centre, while the town itself is a few miles north-east of the western terminus of the M4
One air ambulance is said to have now left the field and is reportedly flying towards the University Hospital in Cardiff. The second remains on site
The alleged incident is said to have taken place at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford in the west Wales county
‘Local people will see more police in the area over the coming days as the investigation continues.’
Police put all pupils in the school’s canteen as they try to preserve the classroom and surrounding areas as a crime scene.
Children were hugged by their parents after being let out of school at 3.30pm, the usual time.
It is understood both women teachers were flown by air ambulance to the University Hospital of Wales, 70 miles from Ammanford.
Dyfed-Powys Police said: ‘Three people have been injured and are receiving treatment.
‘One person has been arrested and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.
‘Emergency services remain at the scene and the school has been closed while investigations continue.
‘We are working closely with the school and Carmarthenshire County Council. We are aware that there is footage of the incident currently circulating on social media.
‘We would ask that this is removed to avoid contempt of court and distress to those affected. We would ask that people do not speculate while there is a police investigation ongoing.’
