Counter-terror police investigate school stabbing at Co-op Academy in Blackley
Staff locked down Co-op Academy in Blackley after a stabbing left two 14-year-olds and a 27-year-old employee injured. A 14-year-old girl was later charged with attempted murder as counter-terror police took over the case.
Staff at Co-op Academy in Blackley moved quickly to restrain a 14-year-old girl after a stabbing that injured two pupils and a member of staff, preventing anyone else from being hurt and triggering a lockdown at the north Manchester school. Greater Manchester Police said the three victims, two 14-year-olds and a 27-year-old male staff member, were taken to hospital and later discharged with injuries described as not serious.
The attack took place on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, at the school on Plant Hill Road. Police said the response from staff was immediate, with the suspect restrained soon after the incident. That swift action, along with the lockdown, was central to containing the danger inside the school grounds while emergency services responded.
The suspect was initially arrested on suspicion of assault, later specified as Section 18 assault, before being detained under the Mental Health Act for assessment. She was subsequently released to police custody as detectives continued their inquiries. On Thursday, 11 June 2026, Counter Terrorism Policing North West took over the investigation, but officers stressed that the incident had not been declared a terrorist attack and that they were keeping an open mind about the motive.
Later on Thursday night, Greater Manchester Police said the girl had been charged with three counts of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a bladed article on school premises. She is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 12 June 2026.
The police response has also focused on the wider impact on the school community. Officers urged the public not to speculate online, warning that circulating names was unhelpful and deeply concerning for the victims, their families and staff. For pupils and parents at Co-op Academy, the episode has underlined how quickly a normal school day can turn into an emergency, and how crucial rapid restraint, lockdown procedures and hospital treatment were in limiting the harm.
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