Crime
Video Shows Student Stabbed During Altercation at West Potomac High School
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A violent altercation between students at West Potomac High School on Wednesday morning led to a 16-year-old being hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed during a fight, according to Fairfax County Police.
The incident occurred around 9:40 a.m. in a hallway of the school, located off Quander Road in the Belle Haven area of Northern Virginia.
Police say a 15-year-old male student used a knife to stab the 16-year-old during a physical confrontation.
The victim was found on the ground with visible injuries and blood pooling on the floor, as captured in disturbing video footage that has circulated among students.
Images and videos from the scene, shared via social media, show several students involved in a physical altercation and bystanders standing near the injured teen as staff attempted to assist.
Medics responded promptly and transported the 16-year-old to a local hospital.
Authorities later confirmed that the victim’s condition had stabilized after initially being described as life-threatening.
At a press briefing, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis confirmed that the 15-year-old suspect will face malicious wounding charges.
A third student involved in the altercation is currently being questioned, though police do not anticipate filing charges against that individual at this time.
“This was an isolated incident,” Chief Davis stated, reassuring the public that there is no ongoing threat to the school community.
In response to the violence, West Potomac High School was placed under a “Stay Put, Stay Tuned” protocol, meaning that while the building was not in lockdown, students and staff were required to remain in place and no one was allowed to enter or exit the facility.
The directive prompted concern and frustration from parents, many of whom rushed to the school upon hearing of the incident but were unable to retrieve their children.
During an afternoon news conference, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid faced criticism from upset parents, some of whom questioned the district’s communication policies and the school’s restrictions on student cellphone use during emergencies.
School officials emphasized that the restriction on phones is intended to ensure students remain alert and responsive to staff instructions during crisis situations.
The school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) released a statement via social media, reiterating that the incident had been contained and that updates would be shared as they became available.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the stabbing, including what led up to the confrontation and how the weapon was brought into the school.
Authorities are also working closely with school administrators to review safety protocols moving forward.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.