Pupils hide under desks as knife-wielding gang storm secondary school grounds – before armed cops arrest three teenagers for carrying a blade
- Teachers ‘ordered children to hide under their desks while the incident unfolded’
- Witnesses say gang of armed teenagers were seen running onto school grounds
- West Midlands Police arrested three teenagers who remain in police custody
Children were reportedly ordered to hide under their desks at school after knife-wielding gang stormed the grounds earlier today.
Armed police arrested three teenagers after the incident plunged the Birmingham secondary school into lockdown.
Police officers swarmed the grounds around the North Birmingham Academy in every parents ‘worst nightmare’ this morning after reports there were people seen carrying knives.
West Midlands Police said young men, who had been seen with a knife, were then spotted running into the grounds of the school at around 9.30am on Tuesday, June 7.
Pupils were told to sit on the floor under their desks in the classrooms during the police incident, a parent told BirminghamLive.
Officers have since arrested three teenagers on suspicion of possession of a blade.
There are no reports of injuries and police say inquiries remain ongoing.
Police officers swarmed the grounds around the North Birmingham Academy this morning after reports there were people seen carrying knives
One parent told the Express & Star: ‘It is every parent’s worst nightmare [..] because it took ages for parents to be told what was going on.
‘The school was locked down and we were never told why.’
She added: ‘Then all the children who had any links with the alleged assailant were searched in front of the school.’
Another parent said their child ‘was so scared’ as they hid under their desk and saw armed police.
They added: ‘She text me saying mom help me. I’m under a table there are men with knives.
‘The school were amazing though. Can’t have been easy for staff or pupils.’
Police arrested three teenagers after the incident plunged the Birmingham secondary school into lockdown
A spokeswoman for the police force said: ‘We were called to reports of three young men seen with a knife in Warren Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, at just before 9.30am today.
‘Officers attended and as we searched the area some of the young men ran into the grounds of North Birmingham Academy in College Road.
‘Armed officers entered the premises and three teenagers were arrested on suspicion of possession of a blade.
‘They remain in police custody this afternoon. No one has reported any injuries to us and our investigation is ongoing.’
A spokesperson for E-ACT, who run the Academy, said: ‘Following an incident in the community, earlier today NBA went into lockdown in line with the academy’s procedures.
‘The police were in attendance and the issue was resolved quickly. Thanks to the rapid response of our staff in managing the situation, no students were at risk, and the normal day resumed quickly with students returning to their lessons.’
Anyone with information can contact police via their Live Chat facility at west-midlands.police.uk, or call 101 quoting 20/531921/22.