A rural Whangarei school was plunged into lock-down mode after a boy was seen walking around the grounds brandishing a knife yesterday morning.
Staff at Mangakahia Area School acted quickly to separate the 14-year-old boy and get the other students into secure areas. A Whangarei police spokesman said the incident was reported at around 9am. The police have now referred the boy to the appropriate agencies.
Mangakahia Area School principal Phil Reynolds said he is satisfied with how the incident was handled by staff and police but would not comment further on the incident.
"I haven't been authorised by the school board to discuss a school matter with the media," he said. "All I can says is that it has been dealt with appropriately."
Mr Reynolds would not comment when asked if other students or people at the school had been in danger during the unsettling event, or if the boy was a student there. Mangakahia Area School, at Titoki, is 29km west of Whangarei.
