Two Students Stabbed at Countryside High School, Suspect in Custody

Two male students were stabbed at Countryside High School in Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida on Thursday, August 31, 2023. The incident occurred at approximately 11:23 a.m. in the main concourse of the school after the first lunch session. The weapon used was described as a knife. Both victims were immediately taken to local hospitals for treatment.

The suspect, a 9th-grade student, was apprehended at gunpoint and is now in custody. Authorities have confirmed that there is no further danger or threat at the school. The parents of the two victims have been notified.

Parts of the school have been designated as crime scenes, and students are being held in their classes to preserve the integrity of those scenes. Dismissal will begin at 1:25 p.m., with buses available to transport students home. Parents picking up their children can enter only through the McMullen Booth side, as there will be no entrance off State Road 580. Authorities urge everyone to be patient and follow the directions of the officers on site.

Police Chief Eric Gandy has provided an update on the condition of the two stabbed male students. The 9th-grader was taken to All Children’s Hospital, while the 11th-grader was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa. Both victims are currently in stable condition.

The motive and relationship of the suspect to the victims remain unknown at this time. Due to the ages of the students involved, authorities are not releasing any names. The 14-year-old suspect is facing two counts of attempted first-degree murder.

One of the victims has been released from the hospital after receiving treatment for stab wounds. The other victim remains hospitalized but is in stable condition.