Teenage suspect is a former pupil and was arrested at mosque
The suspect in the stabbing of two children at a north-west London school was a former pupil.
The 13-year-old was later arrested at a mosque some distance from the school.
GB News can confirm that the suspect is a British national and was born in the UK.
However, the Metropolitan Police will not release any further details on his ethnicity or religion for fear it could identify a child.
Police were called to Kingsbury High School in Brent at 12.39pm on Tuesday. The former pupil had arrived at the school nine minutes prior, at 12.30pm.
Two boys, aged 12 and 13, were taken to hospital in serious condition following the incident, they confirmed.
The boys are now in a stable condition.
The suspect, who had a weapon, was detained shortly after 6pm following a search, it was confirmed.
The suspect in the stabbing of two children at a north-west London school was a former pupil
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PA
Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan told reporters: “Having entered the school, he proceeded out to a first floor classroom.
“He entered the classroom, and we believe he sprayed a substance towards a pupil as he entered the door.
“The suspect has then attacked another pupil, a 13-year-old in that classroom, stabbing him, and then the suspect has left, running down the hallway of the school.
“As he is leaving, he then attacked another victim, a 12-year-old, stabbing him before running off and away from the school.”
Two students who were injured are now in a stable condition
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PA
Asked if he had left the mosque by the time he was arrested, she said: “I don’t know the full detail of exactly where he was arrested in terms of location, but he was in the vicinity of the mosque.”
The Met said it did not believe the suspect had a connection to the mosque and think it was coincidental that he was in the area.
Counter-terror police have been leading the investigation, though the attack has not yet been declared a terrorist incident, police confirmed.
In a letter to parents, the school’s head teacher said it was a “deeply traumatic event for the whole school community”.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “A shocking attack at Kingsbury High School, where two children have been stabbed. My thoughts and my prayers are with them, their families and all those affected.”
Speaking in the House of Commons, Keir Starmer described the stabbing as an “appalling attack” and said his thoughts were with the two children, and all of those affected.
“We thank the police for their rapid response. It’s important now that we give them the space to pursue their investigation,” he added.
Dawn Butler, MP for Brent East, said: “The whole school community – the parents, the wider community – are deeply shocked by this.
“There has been a lot of support given to the school, obviously that will have to be ongoing.”
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