Two boys, 12 and 13, stabbed at London school

Two boys, aged 12 and 13, have been stabbed at a school in Brent, north-west London, and officers are searching for a teenage suspect, the Metropolitan Police said.

Police were called to the scene at Kingsbury High School in Bacon Lane at 12.40pm on Tuesday to reports that a 13-year-old boy was stabbed.

At the scene, officers found a 12-year-old boy who had also been stabbed.

One was taken to a major trauma centre as a priority, London Ambulance Service said, while the other was taken to hospital.

Officers said they have identified a suspect – a teenage boy – and are urgently hunting for him.

Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in north-west London, said: “We recognise that this incident will cause considerable concern within the community. We want to reassure local students, parents and local residents that we have deployed significant resources to the area and are doing everything we can to locate the suspect.

“Our thoughts are with the injured boys and I want to thank the paramedics and doctors who are providing them both with care.

“We’ll provide further updates when we can.”

In a statement issued just after 2pm, the school said there had been a “serious incident” which was “under control”.

The statement on Kingsbury High School’s website said: “We want to make you aware that there has been a serious incident at Kingsbury High School today. We are working closely with the relevant authorities and following all necessary procedures.

“The situation is now under control, and we have already spoken directly with the parents and carers of the students involved.

“We understand that this will be concerning. At present, it is not possible to enter or leave the school site while the response continues. We will provide further updates as soon as we are able to share confirmed information.”

The leader of Brent Council said it is “horrifying to think of how someone so young came to be in possession of a weapon capable of causing such harm” .

Councillor Muhammed Butt thanked the emergency services and school staff for their “swift response”, and said: “This is a deeply shocking and distressing incident, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured, their families and the whole school community. No parent should ever have to fear for their child’s safety at school, and it is horrifying to think of how someone so young came to be in possession of a weapon capable of causing such harm.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, incident response officers an advanced paramedic, a paramedic from our tactical response unit and a clinical team manager. We also dispatched a trauma team in a car from London’s Air Ambulance.”

Kingsbury High School is an academy school serving children aged 11 to 18, with both upper and lower sites.

According to the latest Department for Education information, it has 1,997 pupils.

It traces its origins to Kingsbury County School, which opened in 1925 in a building which had been the office of the former Aircraft Manufacturing Company. It moved premises in 1932.

Alumni include Wham’s George Michael, jazz musician Courtney Pine, Floyd Steadman the first black captain of the Saracens rugby team, and writer Ekow Eshun.