By jerald jimenez
01 Sep 2023, 17:42 PM EDT
Two students at Countryside High School in Clearwater, Florida, were stabbed to death by a classmate who had a homicidal manifesto on Thursday, local authorities said.
The 14-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released, was taken into custody by police and faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The events occurred during a class change, when the young man attacked his victims at random with a knife. One of the injured, aged 14, was stabbed in the neck and has already been discharged from the hospital, while the other victim, aged 16, received several stab wounds to the chest and abdomen and is recovering favorably after surgery.
Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy said the suspect had no disciplinary record and had arrived at the school in January from Las Vegas. According to Gandy, the teenager idolized serial killers and “hated humanity.” In his manifesto, he expressed his intent to kill and his desire for recognition.
At the moment, authorities are making efforts to investigate the suspect’s background in greater detail, and they admitted that what they have found so far has been “concerning.”
“There’s a lot to take in. [leyendo su manifiesto]… anyone was easy prey,” Gandy said at the press conference.
Counselors were present at the school on Friday to help students and staff in need.
About 1,500 students were on the premises of the educational center when the stabbing occurred, according to local media.
With information from WTSP