A stabbing at Coatesville Area Senior High School sent a student to the hospital, district says

A student was stabbed at Coatesville Area Senior High School and taken to the hospital Tuesday morning, district officials said, as police were searching for another student allegedly responsible for the attack.

Police in Caln Township issued an arrest warrant for Oddell Cannon, a sophomore at the school. Cannon, 16, is being charged as an adult with attempted murder and related offenses for allegedly stabbing a male classmate multiple times during a fight inside the school.

The victim, whom police did not identify because he is a juvenile, was taken to Paoli Hospital in stable condition. It was not clear what sparked the fight between the two students.

The Chester County high school was dismissed early as a result of the incident, which happened around 7:30 a.m.

“I’m extremely sorry to report that at least one of the students was stabbed and was transported to the hospital,” Rick Dunlap, the district’s substitute superintendent, said in a statement. He said the school had been secured by police and was an “active crime scene,” resulting in the dismissal of students starting around 9:30.

Dunlap said the district was interviewing students as they were being dismissed.

“Clearly, this is an extremely upsetting incident,” he said. “We will communicate throughout the day as we learn more and will be sure we follow up with counseling for our students and staff.”

Messages left with the school district were not returned Tuesday. Anyone with information about Cannon’s whereabouts was asked to call 911.