Three teenagers arrested after 17-year-old injured in Gloucester sword attack

Three teenagers have been arrested after a 17-year-old was injured in a suspected sword attack near a school in Gloucester.

Officers were called to Chalford Road, near St Peter’s high school, in Tuffley, shortly after 8.50am on Friday. It was reported that two people – one in possession of a sword – had been seen chasing two 17-year-olds. The suspects then fled the scene on foot.

One of the victims sustained a “superficial wound believed to have been caused by the sword”, Gloucestershire constabulary said. The other young person was not physically injured.

Armed police attended the scene to search for the suspects. St Peter’s high school and the nearby Willow primary academy were put on lockdown on Friday after the attack.

A 19-year-old was arrested overnight, while an 18-year-old handed himself in to the police on Saturday morning. A 17-year-old boy was then arrested later on Saturday. All three are from Gloucester and remain in police custody for questioning.

Police said a woman had been arrested on Friday on suspicion of assisting an offender, but was released on police bail pending further inquiries.

A pupil named Jimmy at St Peter’s, a Catholic high school, told the BBC that the situation was “really scary” and students had been locked in their classrooms for several hours. “At the time I was scared,” he said. “My heart was racing.”

Parents also received messages from the school, explaining there had been an incident but that the situation was under control. DI Sophie Dawkins, from the constabulary’s CID, said: “We completely understand the concern this incident would have caused, especially when it happened near a school at drop-off time.

“We’ve had armed officers searching the area, along with support from our drone unit and the National Police Air Service, and work is ongoing to identify and locate those involved.

“Numerous inquiries have been taking place and officers from the neighbourhood team have been in the area throughout the day to reassure parents that there is not thought to be a wider threat.

“We are now keen to hear from anyone who has not already spoken to police who witnessed what happened or who has dashcam or any other footage.”