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Police say a barefoot man walked into Abbotsford Senior Secondary school early Tuesday afternoon and stabbed two girls before being held by staff. When officers arrived, they found that school staff had already subdued a suspect, and students and staff were rendering first aid to the two wounded students.

Godden praised the quick response of school staff.

“I can’t overstate just how important that was and the fact that they were able to put the school in lockdown immediately, really dealt with the assailant and attended to the two students,” he said. “You can practise this all you want. When the real thing happens is the ultimate test and I am so proud of our staff and the police for the manner in which they responded to something that we practise on an ongoing basis.”

Godden said the district is focusing on the health and healing of staff, students and the community.

“We acknowledge how traumatic this event was for all concerned. We extend our sincere condolences to our families and the two students. Our thoughts are with them and our students and our community as a whole. When one of us hurts, we all do.”

Godden says every school in the district will have all but one of its exterior doors locked during the school day out of an abundance of caution.

The Abbotsford Police Department has closed the high school to maintain the integrity of the investigation and a decision will be made later today on when the school will reopen.

Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / PNG

The secondary school and attached Abbotsford Middle School were locked-down on Tuesday and searched by Emergency Response Team officers to ensure there were no other suspects or victims — there were not.