CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Police said a student armed with a knife assaulted three staffers who were trying to intervene in a situation at L.C. Bird High School in Chesterfield County.
Principal Adrienne Blanton wrote in an email to parents that the school just learned about a Wednesday social media post where a student "made a threat toward a student with a knife" after classes had started on Thursday.
Chesterfield Police said a 15-year-old girl brought a knife with a four-inch blade to school and then pulled out the weapon to confront two other students just before first period.
"A school employee took the knife from the female," police said. "The female assaulted two school employees and the school resource officer."
Officers said the student now faced charges of assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of assault and battery – school official, two counts of attempted malicious wounding and possession of a weapon on school property.
"No students were struck with the weapon, but a number of students witnessed the incident," Blanton said.
School leaders urged parents to stress to their children the importance of reporting "inappropriate and/or potentially threatening " social media posts.
"The police department and school division take online messaging very seriously," Blanton wrote. "Students can be arrested and suspended/expelled from school."
L.C. Bird High School
Blanton also stressed the consequences for any student who brings a weapon to school.
"There are serious school discipline and police/legal consequences for students who do not follow the law," Blanton said. "Students should check their backpacks daily to make sure they do not contain items to could get them into trouble."
As a result of the incident, Blanton said there would be an additional police presence at the school for the rest of the day.
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