A 12-year-old boy has been arrested and charged after allegedly swinging a knife at another student during an altercation at Katherine High School, NT Police said.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, sparking a lockdown of the school. Police did not publicly report the incident until Monday afternoon.
Police said in a statement the 12-year-old swung the “edged weapon” at the 14-year-old, who was known to him, before school staff intervened and disarmed him.
Police said there were no injuries reported as a result of the incident.
“Police attended and arrested the 12-year-old offender,” Superintendent Warren Scott said. “He has been charged [with] aggravated assault and going armed in public and was bailed to appear in Court 26 September 2025.
“Police take matters of this nature very seriously and will continue facilitating proactive measures, such as wanding operations, to help keep the community safe.”
Action for Alice Facebook page reported that witnesses to the incident said the first child was chasing the other with a “filleting knife” and that a teacher was nearly stabbed trying to take away the knife.
It is unclear why the NT Police did not publicly report the incident until Monday afternoon.
A letter to parents from acting principal Stephen Hill said “sanctions will be implemented in accordance with school and departmental policy”.
“The wellbeing of our staff and students is our priority and our school does everything we can to keep everyone safe,” he wrote.
No thanks to the parents, mainly dad, for ruining his son’s life. It does take a village to raise a child, but it’s hard when there are no villages anymore.