4 High School Students Sustain Life-Threatening Injuries, One or More Flown from Scene in Medical Helicopters, and 15 Other Students, One Adult Are Less Severely Hurt, As Fellow Student Goes on Stabbing Rampage in Murrayville, Pa.

BALTIMORE, Maryland April 8, 2014 - Four students sustained life-threatening injuries and 15 other students and one adult were less severely hurt, when a fellow student wielding two knives, ran from room to room stabbing people at a rural Pittsburgh High School early this morning EDT. The knife-wielding student is now said to be in police custody, Fox News said. At least one of the injured, and perhaps as many as four students, have been taken away from the scene in a helicopter. Three of the most critically injured were in surgery within one hour of the 7:15 am incident. Although two of the injured are said to be "critically hurt," trauma team doctors said they had been "stabilized." The FBI and Pennsylvania State Police are helping local police at the scene of the stabbing rampage. Police said only one student was involved in the stabbing.

The student suspected of doing the stabbings, said to be a male sophmore, is in custody in Murrayville, Pennsylvania. He is said to have an older brother at the school. One witness said the suspect seemed somewhat distraught during classes earlier in the week. Some of the 15 less severely injured students may not have been stabbed, Fox News Reported. The first alarms at the high school, where over 1200 students are enrolled, were sounded at 7:15 am., and a 911 call was made at 7:20 am. A female student is said to have pulled a fire alarm, letting many know about the danger and sending many running from the school. The local police chief said the act of pulling the fire alarm may have saved lives. There was speculation that the confusion that followed the incident, which included parents and friends of the injured rushing to the scene, may have delayed treatment of the most critically injured, Fox News said. But trauma doctors said they were stunned, but pleased, at how well the injured were treated at the scene. One of the injured arrived at the hospital "already intubated." The school has a Murrayville Police Officer on scene at all times when school is in session and he was said to be involved in subdueing the suspect. The principal of the school was also involved in bringing the suspect into custody.

According to reports from the scene, the student with the knife ran from one classroom to another, stabbing people along the way. Students in at least two classrooms and in the hallways were stabbed. An audio tape of police calls, made by an officer on the scene, indicated that the suspect went to the first and second floor of the school before being taken into custody. In the wake of the incident, authorities took students from the high school where the incident occurred to a nearby middle school for reasons of safety. They also cancelled elementary school classes in the vicinity of the stabbings. At a news conference after the incident it was announced that classes would be cancelled "for several days," although counselors would be at the school to talk to distraught students. The Murrayville Police Chief said processing the crime scene could take more than one day.

A public announcement from authorities begged the public to stay away from the scene to avoid congesting traffic. Besides Fox News, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and KDVR Television, a Fox Affiliate in Denver, provided information used in this post.