SILVER SPRING, Md. — A Montgomery County high school student is being treated for serious injuries and another is facing charges after a stabbing outside the school Monday morning, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police.
Montgomery County Fire & Rescue said they were called to Montgomery Blair High School at 51 University Blvd. East around 10 a.m. for reports of an altercation between two students in the school parking lot. MCFRS said they transported one patient with multiple lacerations to the neck and torso; the patient's injuries were serious, but they are expected to survive.
MCPD Chief Marcus Jones tweeted just before 1:30 p.m. that a suspect, an unidentified underage boy, had been taken into custody. The school principal said the suspect left the grounds, but was brought back to the school by their parents, and then they were detained by police.
Officers say charges against the suspect are pending.
Police said both the suspect and the teen stabbed are Blair High students.
"It's crazy, because it could happen at any moment," said 18-year-old Gio Caballero, 18, who said he was a student at the school up until a few weeks ago.
Principal Renay Johnson was tweeting information out to the community as the situation unfolded.
"Students and staff are safe in the building," Johnson tweeted. "I will send a letter to the school community as soon as possible."
In her letter, Johnson said the school was locked down for about an hour until they transitioned to a shelter in place order.
"During this incident, the school was placed in lockdown to ensure the safety of all students and staff," Johnson wrote. "At 11:00 a.m. the lockdown was modified to a Shelter-in-Place to assist with the ongoing investigation and allow classes to continue safely."
Montgomery County began this school year for the first time in nearly two decades without school resource officers inside its schools, out of concern that officers were disproportionately criminalizing the behavior of students of color.
But Caballeros said there are good and bad things about having officers inside schools.
"If there was a way officers could be in school and protect the students without being, 'Oh, I'm a cop, I'm here!'" Caballeros said. "Their presence makes students aware and act a certain way."
Montgomery County police say their first officer got here within three minutes. Officers were on scene with K9 dogs for several hours.
See the full letter from Principal Johnson below:
Dear Montgomery Blair High School Families,
I am writing to provide you with the facts regarding the serious incident at our school this morning, Nov. 8, 2021. At approximately 10 a.m., two Montgomery Blair High School students were involved in a conflict in the school parking lot alongside Colesville Road. One student brandished a knife and assaulted another student who sustained cutting wounds. Students and staff notified the school administration and Montgomery County Police (MCPD) were immediately called and responded to the school. The injured student was transported to a local hospital, where the student is being treated for non-threatening life injuries. The suspect left school grounds and was returned to school by the student's parents and taken into custody by Montgomery County Police.
During this incident, the school was placed in lockdown to ensure the safety of all students and staff. At 11:00 a.m. the lockdown was modified to a Shelter-in-Place to assist with the ongoing investigation and allow classes to continue safely. I want to thank my staff, central office personnel and Montgomery County Police for their swift action in securing our campus and ensuring our students were safe. As I always say, "if you see something, say something," and that was the case today, as staff and students immediately informed us of the incident. A caring and supportive school community is the Blair way.
Sincerely,
Renay Johnson, Principal
WATCH: SKY9 is flying over the school as police investigation continues.