DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. \u2014 A middle school student in the Florida Panhandle is accused of stabbing two other students and an adult paraprofessional on Tuesday, authorities said.<\/p>\n
The attack took place at Walton Middle School in DeFuniak Springs. Two student victims — also seventh-graders — are in critical condition, while the adult was hospitalized with non life-threatening injuries, WEAR<\/a> reported. <\/p>\n The accused attacker, a seventh-grader at Walton Middle School, was taken into custody after being apprehended near the school about seven minutes after the incident, the Walton County Sheriff\u2019s Office said during a news conference<\/a>, <\/p>\n \u201cThis is the worst thing you can deal with as a sheriff, as a school … this is what we all fear,\u201d Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson told reporters<\/a>. \u201cAnd so we\u2019re going to do our best to do this correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n The incident occurred at about 7:17 a.m. CT before classes began. Adkinson said there were about 40 students in the school — early drop-offs — at the time of the attack, WJHG<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n Adkinson said the suspect walked into a bathroom at the school then came out wearing a mask and armed with a sharp object. The sheriff said the suspect attacked \u201cthe first student he comes in contact with,\u201d stabbing the victim several times, according to The New York Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n The sheriff said the suspect attacked the \u201cfirst student he comes in contact with,\u201d stabbing the victim multiple times. The student then \u201cseparates from that individual,\u201d and attacked the paraprofessional down a hall. He advances farther down the hall and stabbed a second student, Adkinson said.<\/p>\n Officials said the attack lasted approximately 45 seconds, according to WJHG<\/a>.<\/p>\n Classes were canceled on Tuesday, but the school was set to reopen Wednesday, the television station reported.<\/p>\n \u201cOur intention is to get children back in school as soon as possible,\u201d Superintendent Russell Hughes told reporters<\/a>. \u201cSchool is a safe place and that\u2019s where we want them.\u201d<\/p>\n