Pennsylvania stabbing leaves the country in shock

Photo+credit%3A+MCT

Photo credit: MCT

Alex Hribal, a 16-year old student at Franklin Regional Senior High School, Pennsylvania, rampaged his high school’s hallways on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. Hribal was armed with two kitchen knives, and assaulted 21 people in total. Hribal will be charged as an adult on four counts of attempted homicide and 21 counts of aggravated assault.

Hribal’s motives are unknown, and he was described by classmates as being a quiet, nice kid. Hribal’s lawyer, Patrick Thomassey, told CNN on Thursday. “They’re like the Brady Bunch. These parents are active with their two sons, and we’re trying to figure out what happened.” The police have yet to make sense of the stabbing. At this point, they do not think that there was a target.

Hribal was stopped by Samuel King, a 60-year-old assistant principal. Eye-witnesses say that it started with two boys fighting on the ground in the hallway. One was stabbed and then Hribal ran off, going from classroom to classroom attacking 20 students and a security officer. High-schooler Mia Meixner never heard Hribal utter a word during the attack, “He was very quiet. He just was kind of doing it,” she said. “And he had this, like, look on his face that he was just crazy and he was just running around, just stabbing whoever was in his way.” He was kind of withdrawn, didn’t have many friends, and “kept to himself” according to Meixner. “He’s actually been a really nice kid,” Meixner said in disbelief. Students standing outside the school heard its fire alarm go off, which helped get more of the students out of the building, but the scene was complete chaos. A few students ran out covered in blood, and teachers ran into the halls to pull students out of the building. Teachers used hoodies to staunch the bleeding coming from the wounds of the victims.

The wounds ranged from lacerations to punctures. Four victims were in critical condition and one student has extensive injuries to his internal organs and may not survive. The school had around half a dozen prayer services and vigils were held overnight and now there are counseling services available for students.

These horrible school massacres are unfortunately a common event recently. Whether our culture of violence or some other cause is to blame is unknown. We can only pray for the health of our country and for the families of the victims of these tragedies.