A 17-year-old Zion-Benton Township High School student was critically injured Friday when she was stabbed by a classmate, authorities said.
Authorities said the classmate, also a 17-year-old girl, was taken into custody off-campus shortly after the incident.
The stabbing prompted Zion-Benton Township High School to enter into an elevated level of alert “out of an abundance of caution,” Zion Benton School District 126 said in a message to the community.
The district described the stabbing as an isolated incident.
Zion Deputy Chief Christopher Sweeting said police and the district’s school resource officer responded quickly to the situation. The resource officer rendered aid to the stabbed student and was able to obtain information that led to the quick arrest of the alleged perpetrator, Sweeting said.
The victim was brought to a hospital in critical condition. Police said they do not yet know what prompted the stabbing.
There have been no charges filed yet in the ongoing investigation, police said.
“At this time, there is no immediate threat to students or staff. Administration and safety personnel are actively monitoring the situation and following established safety protocols,” District 126 said in a social media post. “The district is coordinating with law enforcement and appropriate safety authorities and is following all established safety protocols.”
