GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite — A peaceful school morning turned into a scene of chaos and panic after a 14-year-old female student allegedly stormed an elementary classroom and stabbed seven Grade 5 pupils with a kitchen knife.

The violent incident took place around 8:30 a.m. of Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at a private school located in Barangay Sta. Clara. According to the General Trias City Police, the Grade 8 suspect left her classroom on the second floor of the building and walked down to a Grade 5 classroom on the first floor.

Without any warning or provocation, she entered the room and began attacking the younger students with a kitchen knife, striking many of them in their backs. At the time of the sudden assault, the classroom teacher was reportedly absent because educators were attending a school meeting.

The sudden onslaught triggered screams of terror from the young pupils. Moments later, another teacher encountered the suspect while she was still holding the bloody weapon. The teacher courageously ordered her to drop the knife and successfully restrained her once she complied. The seven wounded Grade 5 pupils were immediately rushed to the Divine Grace Medical Center for emergency medical care.

During a personal visit to the victims, General Trias City Mayor Luis “Jon-Jon” Ferrer IV confirmed that two of the injured students sustained severe wounds requiring surgery. However, Police Chief Lt. Col. Bismark Mendoza later assured the public that despite the severity of the scare, all victims have since been stabilized.

Because of the suspect's age, she was immediately turned over to the custody of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), where she is currently undergoing comprehensive medical and psychological evaluations.

Investigators are working closely with the school to uncover a motive, though they note that the suspect was a newly transferred student who did not appear to know any of the victims. "We haven’t found anything related to bullying, gangs, or conflicts between student groups. This appears to be an isolated incident," Lt. Col. Mendoza stated.

A primary focus of the ongoing police investigation is determining how the minor managed to smuggle a kitchen knife onto the school campus without detection. Mayor Ferrer disclosed that, based on initial talks with the girl's parents, the weapon was wrapped and tightly concealed inside her school bag.

In the wake of the campus violence, local officials are taking strict precautions to prevent a repeat of the tragedy. Mayor Ferrer has directed all schools across General Trias City to significantly tighten their security protocols, including mandating the installation of metal detectors at entrance gates. Local social workers and Department of Education officials have also been deployed to provide counseling and psychological support to the traumatized young students who witnessed the attack.