Student Stabbed At West Potomac High School, Another In Custody: Police

Updated at 2:50 p.m. Thursday

BELLE HAVEN, VA — One student was hospitalized after being stabbed at West Potomac High School in Belle Haven Wednesday, prompting increased security measures and an investigation by Fairfax County Police.

According to police, a fight broke out between three students around 9:44 a.m. Wednesday. One of the students pulled out a knife and stabbed a 16-year-old student. The student was taken to the hospital in life-threatening condition, but their condition has improved to stable.

A 15-year-old student was taken into police custody and will face a malicious wounding charge. The teen is being held at the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center. Police do not believe there are any remaining suspects and that the suspect and victim know each other.

"The good news is that the stabber, the perpetrator, the assailant, is in custody," said Police Chief Kevin Davis at a news conference Wednesday morning. "It's sad that he is 15, and we're working through the circumstances of his involvement, as well as the involvement of others in this very active criminal investigation. The knife has been recovered."

Police are interviewing a third student who was near the altercation. Davis said charges against that 15-year-old are not expected at this time.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid faced parent questions on why students were not released for the rest of the school day after the stabbing. Reid said students were sent to a modified lunch with extra supervision.

The school system brought in counselors Wednesday afternoon to meet with students and staff. Reid noted that administrative staff was working to provide an "orderly dismissal" before school ends for parents who want to pick up their students.

In response to parent questioning about why they couldn't pick up their students early, Reid said, "At this time, because of the seriousness of the incident, we want to make sure students have access to counseling services and are not going out of the community and perhaps unsupervised."

Davis said FCPS staff "acted with the sense of relentless urgency" to protect students when the stabbing occurred, and detectives arrived to secure the scene.

"While there's a sense of shock that this would happen at West Potomac High School, one of our high schools here in Fairfax County, I'm very proud of the response of our staff to this incident," Reid said. "They responded quickly and admirably, and may have saved a life today."

FCPS just started a weapons detector pilot program this week, which involves weapons detectors randomly set up at high schools or secondary schools. Reid said weapons detectors were not present at West Potomac High School that day but were at another school.

Detectives continue to investigate what led to the stabbing. West Potomac High School will have an increased police presence as the investigation continues at the school.

Anyone with information can contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2, or submit a tip through Crime Solvers.