Boy, 15, killed in school stabbing in Sheffield

A 15-year-old boy has died after he was stabbed at a school in Sheffield, police have said.

It happened at All Saints Catholic High School in Granville Road at around 12.17pm on Monday, South Yorkshire Police said.

A 15-year-old old boy has been held on suspicion of murder, the force added.

A critical care team from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance attended the scene.

An ambulance was parked inside the school grounds.

Police have taped off a section of the interior of one of the school buildings.

Meanwhile, members of the public were laying tributes of balloons, flowers and messages at the school gates.

Assistant Chief Constable Lindsey Butterfield told a news conference at police headquarters: “It is with great sadness that I share with you today that a teenager has died following a stabbing at a Sheffield school earlier today.

“Our thoughts are with the family of the boy, his friends and the whole school community.”

The victim’s family has been informed.

Granville Road was closed from the tram stop to Fitzwalter Road, and police asked the public to avoid the area while emergency services carried out their work.

It is the second time the school has gone into lockdown in a week.

According to reports, on January 29 headteacher Sean Pender sent a message to parents, saying: “The reason for the lockdown was due to threatening behaviour between a small number of students where threats were made of physical violence.”

Ms Butterfield went on: “We know that what has happened will cause significant distress and concern.

“I would like to reassure you that our officers will remain on scene and in the local area to offer reassurance to parents, staff and local residents as our investigation continues.

“Although we are in the early stages of our inquiries, we are working at pace to build a full picture of how this tragedy has unfolded.

“We urge you to be mindful that there are loved ones at the centre of this and they are grieving the profound loss of a teenage boy in the most devastating of circumstances.

“We would therefore ask you to avoid speculation and the sharing of online content which could be distressing to them and detrimental to our investigation.

“We urge anyone with any information that they believe can assist us to get in touch.”

A 2023 Ofsted report rated the school, which had 1,398 pupils at the time, as “good”.

Inspectors found that most pupils behaved well and that “a strong ethos of warmth and respect pervades this school”.

A recent spate of crimes has left children afraid, a local community centre manager said.

Amaan Ahmed, a manager at Castle Asian Community Trust and Mosque in Norfolk Road, told the PA news agency: “This area has seen an increase in crime recently.

“Cars are being stolen and vandalised, there has been an increase in anti-social behaviour – it is quite rampant in the area.

“It is concerning, especially being a community centre.

“We provide facilities for people to pray and we have children who are afraid.

“We are very saddened to hear the news from the school.”

Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh called the incident which happened in her constituency “horrific news”.

The Labour MP posted to Facebook: “A criminal investigation will now obviously take place, but serious questions will have to be answered about how this could have happened and I will be working with the school, the police and the council to make sure they are.”

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “This morning a teenage boy went to school like thousands of others across South Yorkshire but won’t come home; a young man who was a member of our community, with his whole life ahead of him.”

Mr Coppard, who has police and crime commissioner responsibilities, added: “I have spoken to the Chief Constable and offered her my full support as she carries out her investigation and continues to do everything she can to prioritise tackling knife crime across South Yorkshire.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “My heart goes out to his family, friends and the entire school community at this distressing time.

“We are in contact with the school and council to offer support. Investigations are now under way.”

Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of teaching union NASUWT, said: “Schools should be places of safety and sanctuary, and it is horrifying to see that for everyone at the school that sense of safety has been shattered.”