Teen stable after Barrhaven school stabbing

A teenage boy is in stable condition after being stabbed at a Barrhaven school Tuesday afternoon.

"I saw a bunch of cops and then there was scene tape and there was like a bunch of blood," said student Mohammed Mahmud.

Ottawa police and paramedics were called to the school at the corner of Longfields Drive and Berrigan Drive at around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday. The boy's injuries were serious but not life-threatening, paramedics said. 

Multiple students say a fight escalated with one student, allegedly from another school, stabbing another.

"They just called secure school though when the principal called it more than twice we knew something happened," Mahmud said.

"Everyone has to be inside their classrooms, the doors are locked," said Yusuf Khalil about the school going into secure mode.

"I started hearing all the police coming up and all the ambulances coming up and it sounded like a lot so I was like 'oh something is up,'" said Grade 11 student Avery St. Amant.

The incident was unsettling for many.

"You're hearing things thinking it's just a rumour going around but then at the end of the day we were finally told it was true so it was kind of like hearts dropped for a second not knowing what was happening," said Victoria Foster.

At least one Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trustee says it's time to consider bringing police officers back into Ottawa schools despite the School Resource Officer (SRO) program being cut last year.

"I'm very sensitive to the fact that there are certain members of marginalized communities who feel discomfort with police," said trustee Donna Blackburn. "I think what we need to is try and establish a mutually beneficial relationship."

Not everyone wants to revisit the issue.

"It seems like a reactionary decision like something has happened and therefore we need to immediately respond," said trustee Lyra Evans. "It doesn't seem as well-thought out as the decision to remove it was.

Police continue to investigate. No arrests have been made.