LAYTON, Utah — A student at Layton High School was stabbed Tuesday, forcing the school to be briefly placed on lockout.
WATCH: Man, woman taken to hospital after random stabbing in Taylorsville home
Police said the 15-year-old student was stabbed across the street from the school at Layton Commons Park during a fight between two groups of students. The suspect pulled a small knife from a backpack and stabbed the victim in the upper abdomen.
The 16-year-old suspect fled the scene, but was later taken into custody at an apartment complex near 1300 North and Main Street. The weapon used in the stabbing had not yet been recovered as of Tuesday night.
Officials said the teenage victim was transported to McKay Dee Hospital and is expected to survive.
“Sounds like this issue between these two groups had been brewing for a little while, so it wasn’t unexpected that there was some contention and problems,” Layton Police Lt. Travis Lyman said. "High school kids duking it out is probably not that unique and has been going on for a long time, but any time it escalates to where somebody ends up getting stabbed, that is very unique. We don't have that happen all the time, thankfully."
Police added that the incident is not believed to be connected to gang activity, but that an investigation is underway and a motive for the fight is not yet known.
The school was placed on lockout status after the stabbing, just before 1 p.m. It lasted about 45 minutes, according to an email sent to parents by Principal Brock Jackman. It consisted of the outside doors to the school being locked while classes continued as normal. Because the lockout was issued during lunch, many students were outside the building and off campus, making the process a little more difficult.
Jackman's email to parents also urged anyone with information on the incident to call the police department at 801-497-8300.
"Also, school counselors will be available to any student who feels they’d like additional support tomorrow," the principal wrote. "We appreciate Layton City Police for their outstanding efforts to help us keep our school safe."
Two other schools, Central Davis Junior High and Crestview Elementary, were also under lockout for about 45 minutes as a precaution.
"[I feel] nervous, just because of all these kids, all these schools. These kids are too much, so yeah, it makes me nervous bringing my kids to school every day," said Karina Callahan, who has two children at the school. "Hopefully everything gets taken care of and that when I bring my kids to school, they’ll be safe.”
“It should give some solace to I guess the parents to recognize that the school has a plan when something like this happens and different levels depending on the threat," Lyman said.
