Parents Subdue Student Wielding Knife at Elementary School

By Zoneil Maharaj 

Parents and staff subdued an elementary school who wielded a knife on campus Monday morning, according to the New Haven Unified School District. 

No students were harmed during the incident, officials said.

According to the district, the incident occurred at about 8 a.m. when a student was seen carrying a kitchen knife at Hillview Crest Elementary School, located at 31410 Wheelon Ave. in Hayward. The school is one of two New Haven campuses located in Hayward.

Parents and staff acted quickly to disarm the student and keep nearby children safe. According to witnesses, two parents tackled the student. One parent received a minor cut to the hand, the district said.

Hayward police responded to the scene shortly after and took over the investigation. 

No student, parent or staff member was directly threatened during the incident, the district said.

"The safety of all students, staff, and parents is the number one priority in the New Haven Unified School District," Interim Co-Superintendent Dr. Arlando Smith said in a statement. "At Hillview Crest today, staff and parents worked together to address a situation, ensuring the safety of all involved."

"At NHUSD, we take these situations very seriously and we are taking all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure the safety of everyone in the building,” Coordinator of District Safety John Mattos said.