Boy of 16 knifed to death in lunchtime attack at school
A ‘GENTLE and caring’ boy was stabbed to death at a top secondary school yesterday.
Bailey Gwynne, 16, died in hospital after being knifed on a walkway at lunchtime.
A 16-year-old boy, understood to be a fellow pupil, was detained by murder detectives. Head teacher Anna Muirhead described Bailey as ‘a very gentle, caring pupil, with a lot of friends’.
She added: ‘Pupils and staff are in a state of total shock. I think it’s fair to say the whole school community is totally devastated.’
The 1,170-pupil Cults Academy in Aberdeen has consistently been ranked among the five best secondaries in Scotland.
It is understood the fatal attack was in a walkway section known to pupils as ‘the street’ at about 1.30pm. Fifth-year pupil Bailey was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he later died.
In the wake of the stabbing, around 12 police cars, a dogs van and a riot van were at the scene.
Parents arriving at the school afterwards were not allowed to enter the grounds, and it is due to stay closed for the rest of the week as the police investigation continues.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday: ‘All my thoughts are with the family and friends of the young man who has tragically died at Cults Academy.’
Pupils have been offered counselling following the murder, the local council said.
Friends began paying tribute to Bailey on Twitter last night. Rory McGregor wrote: ‘Condolences to the family and friends of Bailey. Cults Academy won’t be the same without you.’
Andrew Neil posted: ‘ Rest In Peace, Bailey.’
Another calling herself Amy wrote: ‘Bailey was genuinely nothing but nice. I didn’t see everyone’s problem with him. He doesn’t deserve any of this.’
Another tweeter added: ‘Unreal about a boy dying after being stabbed at Cults Academy. Who takes a knife to school? Absolutely unbelievable.’
Chief Inspector Graeme Mackie of Police Scotland said: ‘This is a shocking and extraordinary incident, and firstly our thoughts are with the family and friends of the boy who has sadly lost his life.
‘A full inquiry is under way and there will be a police presence in the area for the foreseeable future.
‘We are working closely with the education authorities and wider community as I am sure this incident will be felt not only in Aberdeen but much further afield.’ Founded in 1967 and named after the prosperous suburb where it stands, Cults Academy is a mixed-sex secondary school and the largest in Aberdeen with around 1,170 pupils.
In 2008 it was the recipient of The Sunday Times Scottish State Secondary School of the Year Award due to its outstanding exam results, and was last year ranked fourth.
Parents also spoke of their shock that a brutal killing could come to the high-flying school.
David MacPherson, 50, a minister at the Free Church of Scotland whose three children have been pupils at the school, said: ‘This isn’t typical of Cults. It’s quite a quiet, affluent area.
‘I can’t remember anything like this ever happening around here, let alone of this magnitude.
‘Now our thoughts and prayers are obviously with the family at this time.’
On the Cults Academy Reunion Society Facebook group, Paul Pritchard wrote: ‘Very sad news from Cults Academy. Our thoughts are with the boy’s family and friends.’
Dawn Watt added: ‘ Hard to comprehend that this could happen. Thoughts with family and friends and anyone who had to witness the incident.’
An Aberdeen council spokesman said: ‘We will be providing support to pupils, teachers, parents and the community in the coming days.’
The killing comes after two teachers were stabbed by pupils in separate incidents at schools in Yorkshire in the last 18 months – and mounting alarm at the number of children taking lethal weapons into class.
Two pupils a day have weapons confiscated by police on school premises, including guns, knives, axes and hammers, it emerged last year.
Spanish teacher Ann Maguire, 61, died after being stabbed seven times in front of horrified pupils at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds in April last year. Her killer, 15-year-old Will Cornick, was told that he may never be released.
Then in June, supply teacher Vincent Uzomah was stabbed in the stomach during a science lesson at Dixons Kings Academy in Bradford, but survived. A 14-year-old pupil who had previously used racist slurs against the 50-year- old was later given an 11-year sentence.
‘Who takes a knife to school?’