WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — Two students and a teacher’s assistant were injured Tuesday morning in a stabbing at Walton Middle School in DeFuniak Springs.
The suspect, identified as a student at the school, was taken into custody by authorities minutes after the attack began.
The violence took place at the campus in Walton County, located in the Florida Panhandle near Panama City. The incident unfolded shortly after the school day started as students were arriving for classes.
The incident began when a student was dropped off in the pickup line around 7:15 a.m. and entered a bathroom. The suspect later emerged from the bathroom wearing a mask and brandishing a knife. The first student the suspect encountered was stabbed several times. That victim was life-flighted by a medical helicopter and is currently in critical condition.
Following the initial attack, the suspect moved down a hallway and stabbed a teacher’s assistant. The suspect then continued further down the hall and stabbed a second student. Authorities reported that the second student is also critically injured.
Law enforcement arrived at the campus and apprehended the suspect shortly after the attacks began. Michael Adkinson, sheriff of Walton County, confirmed that the suspect was arrested before 7:30 a.m.
“There is no risk to the public this was handled very quickly. From the time of this incident approximately 7:17 this individual was in custody in 7 minutes,” Adkinson said.
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