UPDATE: Police say Hamid Aminzada was trying to break up a fight when he was stabbed.
TORONTO – A 19-year-old student was killed Tuesday after being stabbed at a Toronto school.
The incident happened shortly after 12:30 pm at North Albion Collegiate on Kipling Avenue.
Police say Hamid Aminzada was in a hallway of the school when he was slashed in the face and stabbed in the abdomen.
Aminzada was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
School principal Naeem Siddiq said Aminzada had been at the school for two years and was part of the English as a Second Language program.
“All we’ve seen from him is just being respectful so it’s a very sad day for us,” Siddiq said. “It’s just a tragic loss for us.”
North Albion Collegiate was placed in lockdown as police did a room-by-room search of the school for a suspect.
The lockdown has now been lifted, but the suspect remains at large.
WATCH: Students at North Albion Collegiate react to news of stabbing
Police describe the suspect as male, approximately 17 years old, with a medium build and of medium height. He was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt.
Donna Quan, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) director of education, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying the Caring and Safe Schools staff as well as social workers have been brought in to help the students and staff at North Albion Collegiate.
“My thoughts are with the family and friends of the student who was killed today at North Albion Collegiate Institute. This is a sombre day for the entire TDSB community, especially the students and staff at North Albion, as we mourn the tragic loss of this young life,” Quan said. “Our focus is now on supporting our students, parents and guardians, and staff through this difficult time.”
Two nearby schools, Highfield Junior School and Beaumonde Heights Junior Middle School, were also placed in hold and secure.
The homicide is the first at a Toronto secondary school since the shooting death of 15-year-old Jordan Manners at C.W. Jefferys in May 2007.
Manners was found by police near the school’s pool suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest. Two 17-year-olds were arrested and charged with first degree murder.
After a lengthy trial, the two suspects, known only as J.W. and C.D. were acquitted.
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