10-Year-Old Boy Accused of Stabbing 7-Year-Old Girl with Kitchen Knife at School Playground

A frightening incident at a California elementary school has left a community stunned after a 10-year-old boy was detained for allegedly stabbing a 7-year-old girl during an after-school program.

Police say the incident happened Thursday afternoon, March 12, at Benjamin Bubb Elementary School in Mountain View. Around 3:30 p.m., emergency dispatchers received reports that a child had been stabbed in the playground area while students were participating in after-school activities.

Officers rushed to the campus and quickly placed the school on lockdown as they searched for both the victim and the suspect.

Authorities located the 7-year-old girl suffering from three stab wounds to her shoulder, which police believe were caused by a kitchen knife. Paramedics from the Mountain View Fire Department treated the child at the scene before releasing her into the care of a parent.

Officials say the suspected attacker, a 10-year-old boy who was not part of the after-school program, had already run from the scene before officers arrived.

Investigators later reviewed residential surveillance footage in the area and were able to identify the boy. Police said they recognized him from previous contacts.

With help from a K-9 unit from the Los Altos Police Department, officers tracked the child to his home and detained him without incident. The boy was later turned over to clinicians from Pacific Clinics, Santa Clara County’s juvenile mental health services provider.

The young victim is now recovering, according to local station KTVU.

News of the incident has shaken families and neighbors near the school.

One third-grade student who attends the school told KTVU she felt scared after hearing what happened, even though she was at the dentist and not on campus at the time.

“At least I wasn’t there,” the student said. “I’m kind of worried about her because we’ve never had that.”

Local resident Lori Parsons also expressed disbelief over the situation.

“A 10-year-old with a knife attacking someone? I can’t even fathom how that could happen,” she said.

Community members described the alleged attack as shocking, especially given the ages of the children involved.

In a statement, the Mountain View Whisman School District said staff and police responded quickly to the emergency.

“We’re very grateful the student is expected to be okay,” the district said. “The safety of our students is always our top priority. Staff acted quickly, and police responded immediately. Our focus now is making sure students and staff have the support they need.”