Student arrested in Texas stabbing

CYPRESS, Texas — A student went on a building-to-building stabbing attack at a Texas community college Tuesday, wounding at least 14 people — many in the face and neck — before being subdued and arrested, authorities and witnesses said.

The attack about 11:20 a.m. on the Lone Star Community College System’s campus in Cypress sent at least 12 people to hospitals, while several others refused treatment at the scene, according to Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department spokesman Robert Rasa. Two people remained in critical condition Tuesday at Memorial Hermann Texas Trauma Institute, spokeswoman Alex Rodriguez said.

Diante Cotton, 20, said he was sitting in a cafeteria with some friends when a girl clutching her neck walked in, yelling, “He’s stabbing people! He’s stabbing people!”

Cotton said he could not see the girl’s injuries, but when he and his friends went outside, they saw a half-dozen people with injuries to their faces and necks being loaded into ambulances and helicopters.

Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia said it was not immediately clear what type of weapon was used, but there were indications when calls came in to the department that “students or faculty were actively responding to work to subdue this individual.”

“So we’re proud of those folks, but we’re glad no one else is injured any more severely than they are,” Garcia said.

Michelle Alvarez told the Houston Chronicle she saw the attacker running toward other students and tried to back away. She said she didn’t even feel it as he swiped at her.

“He came running and swinging at my neck, as I tried to get out of the way,” she said.

Student Michael Chalfan said he was walking to class when he saw a group of police officers running after the suspect.

Lone Star officials initially urged people on campus, about 25 miles northwest of downtown Houston, to take shelter and be on alert for a second suspect.

But the sheriff’s department said authorities believe just one person was responsible.