Teacher, student slashed with a knife at Townsville school

Police and ambulance units were called to the Townsville school after the incident, involving two students and a teacher.

Emergency services attend to a patient at Townsville Community Learning Centre.

A teacher and student have been taken to hospital after being slashed with a knife during a fight at a Townsville special education school.

Emergency services were called to Townsville Community Learning Centre, a state special education school at Mundingburra, around 12:40pm on Wednesday afternoon after reports a 16-year-old girl and a female teacher had been assaulted.

Initial investigations suggest a fight broke-out between two 16-year-old girls while in class, with one pulling out a knife. The teacher was injured as she attempted to break up the scuffle.

The injured pair have been taken to Townsville University Hospital in stable conditions with minor lacerations and abrasions.

District duty officer senior sergeant Matt Lyons said it is unclear if the “small” knife was brought into the school.

“A student, a 16-year-old, was in possession of a knife and has become involved in an altercation with another student,” Snr-Sgt Lyons said.

“When a teacher has tried to de-escalate the incident, it resulted in that teacher receiving some minor injuries to her arm. The student involved received some minor incidents to her back.”

The school was immediately placed into lockdown as paramedics and police attended. Investigations are continuing.

The 16-year-old girl who produced the knife is in custody. No charges have been laid.

“There are a few things we need to think about before we progress with charges in relation to this matter,” Snr-Sgt Lyons said. “Investigators will assess the evidence, assess the capacity of the child before anything is done.”