HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH) – Four elementary schools are closed Monday after reports of a stabbing and heavy police activity in Hilliard and northwest Columbus.
According to police, officers responded to reports of a stabbing at 7:25 a.m. in the 4900 block of Springdale Boulevard. One victim, a juvenile, was hospitalized with a wound to the stomach, and they were taken to a Downtown Columbus hospital.
Police said the suspect, a 13-year-old boy, is charged with felonious assault.
Investigators say the incident was between two juveniles at a bus stop. Witnesses gave police a description of a person of interest and the suspect was taken into custody.
“Our next-door neighbor, their oldest daughter, she watched that happened, actually,” parent Tyler Marcum said. “So she’s pretty, she’s pretty tore up.”
Watch: Bus stop stabbing causes Hilliard school closings
Police had a drone surveying the area during its search, which ended shortly before 1 p.m. when the suspect was found.
Due to the search for the suspect, Hilliard City Schools announced that four elementary schools – Crossing, Scioto Darby, Becaon and JW Reason – closed Monday because of the heavy police activity in the area.
In addition, Heritage Middle School, Darby High School, Station, ILC, and the HUB were on a level one lockdown, with students being dismissed as usual, although parents were allowed to pick up their children early.
Hilliard Schools said all students and staff who were in school buildings were unharmed.
In an updated statement, a district representative said the following:
“Due to a police situation in the Cross Creek area, you may notice an increased police presence at all our schools today. Out of an abundance of caution, we have closed four elementary schools: Crossing, Scioto Darby, JW Reason, and Beacon. The buses did run in these neighborhoods, so if your student was outside waiting, they were picked up and taken to school. All students in those schools are being cared for and will be fed. If your building is closed, please go to the school and pick the students up.”
“Heritage Middle School, Darby High School, Station, ILC, and the HUB are on a level one lockdown. This means no one can come in or out of those buildings. Students are not being dismissed from any schools, other than the closed buildings.”
Parents in the district said the incident has their children on edge.
“Our kids are all scared of, you know, what they’re thinking, if we go back to school this week at all, you know?” Marcum said. “I mean, they really don’t know.”
No one else was hurt during the incident and the victim’s condition is listed as stable.
A district spokesperson said classes will be held as normal on Tuesday.
“So we live in a good area, but we never know when it’s going to happen, so I say everybody has to watch your sons all the time,” parent Luis Pablo said.
