NORTH WALES, Pa. – In a shocking incident at Pennbrook Middle School in Montgomery County, a 13-year-old student is facing charges for an unprovoked attack against a classmate. The incident occurred in the school cafeteria around 1:15 in the afternoon, leaving the 12-year-old victim with serious head injuries that required hospitalization.
Upper Gwynedd Police reported that the 13-year-old student used a Stanley metal mug to violently attack the younger student without any apparent reason. The school administration placed the school on a “hold” to manage the situation while law enforcement and medical personnel responded to the scene.
After the hold was lifted, the school day continued, but the repercussions of the incident were felt throughout the community. School officials confirmed that the injured student sustained severe injuries and was hospitalized as a result of the attack.
In response to the incident, the school principal sent a letter home to parents describing the incident as a physical altercation. The district superintendent followed up with a longer email, stating that the principal would address each grade to discuss what students witnessed.
To support students affected by the traumatic event, the school’s counseling department and the North Penn School District traumatic event response team were made available to provide assistance. School officials also stated that they were in communication with both families involved and were cooperating with law enforcement to fully understand the situation and work towards a resolution.
The emotional impact of the incident was felt by parents, with one mother sharing her son’s message of fear during the attack. Another parent expressed concerns about previous reports of threats towards her daughter and questioned if more could have been done to prevent the violent encounter.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of the incident, a school board meeting has been scheduled to address the concerns raised by parents and discuss steps to ensure the safety and well-being of students in the future. The incident has sparked conversations about school safety and the need for proactive measures to prevent such incidents from occurring again.