Two held after boy hurt in sword attack near Gloucester school

Two individuals have been taken into custody following an incident involving a sword that resulted in injuries to a teenage boy near two schools in Gloucester. The attack prompted authorities to place both St Peter’s High School and Willow Primary Academy, located in the Tuffley area, into lockdown early on Friday morning at approximately 08:50 GMT. Armed officers were dispatched to the scene as the suspects initially fled the area on foot.

The victim, a 17-year-old boy, sustained a wound described by the police as “believed to have been caused by the sword.” Law enforcement officials arrested two men from Gloucester in connection with the event: a 19-year-old on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm and affray, and an 18-year-old on charges including possession of an offensive weapon, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and affray. Both remain in police custody and are being questioned.

According to police reports, two men, one armed with a sword, were seen pursuing two boys shortly before the attack occurred. Fortunately, only one of the boys was injured, sustaining a superficial wound, while the other escaped unharmed. Additionally, a woman who had been apprehended on suspicion of assisting an offender has since been released on bail.

The disruption at St Peter’s High School affected students significantly. A pupil named Jimmy shared with the BBC that the situation was “really scary,” noting that they were instructed to lock their doors and switch off the lights. He recounted feeling fearful, with his “heart racing,” and mentioned that students remained confined to their classrooms for several hours while police managed the incident outside