A shocking incident occurred at Evan Hardy Collegiate in Saskatoon on Thursday when a 15-year-old girl was set on fire by a fellow student, according to police. The attack has left the community in shock and prompted immediate action from emergency services and school officials.
What happened?
The distressing event took place over the noon hour at Evan Hardy Collegiate. Saskatoon Police Service Sgt. Ken Kane confirmed that the suspect, a 14-year-old female student, started the fire that severely injured the 15-year-old victim. Teachers at the scene played a crucial role in extinguishing the blaze before emergency services arrived. The victim was transported to the hospital with what are believed to be serious injuries, and one teacher also required hospitalization.
“The suspect we have in custody started the other victim on fire,” Sgt. Kane stated during a news conference Thursday afternoon. The victim’s parents are currently with her, but no further updates on her condition have been provided.
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Immediate Response and Investigation
A school resource officer (SRO), who was already present at the school for an unrelated matter, quickly arrested the 14-year-old suspect. Following this, additional police, fire, and ambulance crews arrived at the scene to manage the situation. The SROs will continue collaborating with school board officials as the investigation progresses.
“This investigation is obviously very early and ongoing,” Sgt. Kane remarked. The charges against the suspect are yet to be determined, and it remains unclear when formal charges might be laid.
Police are working closely with the school division to ensure that information is shared and that both staff and students receive the necessary support. “The mood in our office is quite low,” Kane said. “This is not something we ever expected.”
School Response and Community Reaction
In response to the incident, Evan Hardy Collegiate announced that there would be no classes on Friday. A scheduled football game has also been canceled. The school’s letter to parents stated that students would be allowed to collect their belongings and emphasized that regular classes would resume as soon as possible.
“At school we will continue to provide a safe, caring and compassionate learning environment. When school resumes, we will maintain daily schedules and routines as much as possible, as this provides a sense of safety, security, and comfort. We will also have additional counselling support at the school to respond to students’ needs,” the letter read.
Parental Concerns and Community Impact
Curtis Tweet, a parent of a student at Evan Hardy Collegiate, expressed his concerns over school security following the incident. “It’s just gonna get worse and worse year after year. Like how many more kids are gonna get hurt? How many more kids [are going] to die before you hire security?” Tweet questioned. “There’s no safe place to be in the city. I wouldn’t classify school safe anywhere because we allow this to happen.”
Tweet described the incident as one of the worst he can recall in Saskatoon and plans to take his daughter to the lake on Friday to spend time with her, hoping to provide her with some comfort in the wake of the tragic event.
