Teacher dealt with ‘chaotic’ situation
A TEACHER with 40 years of experience has been praised for reportedly intervening and disarming a teenager after three people were stabbed at the school.
Darrel Campbell was the first on the scene and was said to have been met with a scene of “chaos” after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed on Wednesday.
Ysgol Dyffryn Aman went into lockdown just after 11.20am on Wednesday after the stabbing at the end of morning break.
Two teachers and a teenage pupil were taken to hospital with stab wounds but their injuries were not life-threatening.
The teachers were stabbed while trying to help when a pupil was attacked, Jonathan Edwards, Independent MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, told Channel 5 News.
Mr Campbell, who was not hurt in the incident, was the first on the scene, according to his brother Cefin Campbell, who is Plaid Cymru’s Member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales.
Speaking about his brother’s brave actions, the MS told BBC Radio Wales yesterday: “He has been a teacher there for 40 years. He was the first at the scene. He had to deal with a very stressful, chaotic situation.
“He did what most people would do and tried to calm things and restrain people from making the situation worse.
“He has been shaken by the whole experience because he has been there for 40 years – he has never, ever seen anything like this.
“Questions will have to be asked about security but our thoughts are with those who have been badly affected. We have all been affected in different ways but we will all pull together.”
He added: “There is a sense of disbelief but there is also a sense that this community will provide support. We are close-knit and resilient.”
The school was placed into lockdown for several hours before pupils were able to leave at about 3.20pm.
Head teacher James Durbridge praised staff and pupils for their “calm and mature response” to the lockdown in a message on the school’s website.
Parents who gathered outside the school as news of the incident emerged were seen tearfully hugging their children after they walked through the gates.
Investigators in white forensic suits were seen examining an area by the main building of the school with police by the main entrance and nearby streets.
Police have asked for footage of the incident, circulating on social media, to be removed to avoid distress to those affected. The force has also asked people not to speculate while their investigation is ongoing.