Gary Giles (center) speaks about the stabbing at Mountain View High School this morning at a press conference with Kimberly Bird (right) and Ned Jackson (left). (Camilla Stimpson)
A 16-year-old student stabbed five other students and then stabbed himself Tuesday morning in the locker room at Mountain View High School.
In a press conference later on Tuesday morning, Orem police officer Gary Giles said each victim was stabbed in the neck or above the torso. The current condition of each student ranges from critical to fair condition.
The encounter ended six minutes after it started. The school resource officer was at the school during the time of the attack and responded quickly.
'Had it not been for the quick reaction of the high school staff, school resource officer and fire department, the situation could've been much worse,' Giles said.
The attacker stabbed himself after being cornered by police. The injuries were not severe and the police used a Taser on the attacker and brought him into custody.
Alpine School District spokesperson Kimberly Bird said the student was new to Mountain View, a sophomore and straight-A student who had regular class attendance.
'Sometimes these things are unseen,' Bird said. 'These are very, very difficult things that the faculty, staff, administration and district will go over and debrief.'
School was kept in session and will not be cancelled this week. Mountain View High School has a full-time social worker and counselor to help students.
'We are extremely upset and saddened by this incident, but we are very grateful to have a full-time resource officer at the school,' Bird said.
Police said as of now, there is no known motive for the stabbings. The police will not be releasing the names of the juvenile suspect and victims.