Police: Virginia boy stabbed elementary school classmate

PETERSBURG, Va. – A boy took a knife to his elementary school and stabbed a 6-year-old classmate during recess, Petersburg police said.

Police said the attack happened Tuesday at Walnut Hill Elementary School and the school notified parents on Wednesday, WWBT-TV reported. The student used a pocketknife, injuring another 6-year-old boy from his earlobe to his face. The injured student is expected to be OK and police said it was an isolated incident between those two students. No one else was hurt.

When police tried to recover that weapon, the child told them he’d thrown it away. Police said that after consulting with the Commonwealth’s Attorney, the child who brought the knife is not expected to face criminal charges.

The school district is encouraging families to speak to children about safety and being safe, a spokeswoman said in a statement.