Hero teacher 'stabbed in the neck' protecting students from knife-wielding pupil

Hero teacher 'stabbed in the neck' protecting students from knife-wielding pupil Maysum Abdullah, 27, was stabbed while trying to protect pupils at Co-op Academy Manchester as the school was locked down amid reports of a pupil with a knife A hero school teacher who was knifed in the neck as he tried to protect pupils from a triple stabbing at a high school in Manchester has been named. Maysum Abdullah, 27, was hospitalised with a neck wound after the horror unfolded at Co-op Academy Manchester in Blackley on Tuesday morning. The school was plunged into lockdown amid reports of a pupil with a knife before the child was quickly "detained" by staff, school bosses said. Counter terrorism police are now leading a probe into the incident after "further information has come to light", Greater Manchester Police said in an update today. The attack left three people injured, including a 14-year-old girl who suffered injuries to her shoulder, a 14-year-old boy who was left with injuries to his ear, and Mr Abdullah, who was taken to hospital with injuries to his neck and hand. All are now recovering at home, with none of their injuries deemed to be serious, reports Manchester Evening News. A 14-year-old schoolgirl was arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault, before being detained under the Mental Health Act. She has now been released into police custody following an assessment by health professionals. Mr Abdullah says he is still "trying to process" what happened following the attack. His wife Saima earlier took to TikTok to thank people for their support following the incident. She said: "[On Tuesday] I received the devastating news that my husband had been stabbed whilst trying to protect pupils from a serious knife attack in his classroom. "No one ever expects to receive a phone call telling them that their loved one has been taken to the hospital after being stabbed. I am grateful that his injuries were not life threatening. The wound on his neck and his hand have been treated, however these physical wounds are only part of what our family is now facing. "My husband entered teaching to make a positive difference in young people's lives and he is truly a hero for protecting and safeguarding those children. "Our prayers are with the other two pupils who also suffered injuries and to all the students and staff who witnessed such a traumatic event. "Thank you to all colleagues, family, friends, hospital staff, the police and members of the community for their support, kindness and wishes during this difficult time." The Co-Op Academies Trust, which runs the school, said it was "incredibly proud" of the "swift" and "brave" actions of staff to "quickly detain" the student. In an update on Thursday, Greater Manchester Police said that "as a result of further enquiries, Counter Terrorism Policing North West have now taken primacy for the investigation with the support of Greater Manchester Police". "Searches relating to the investigation remain ongoing and counter terrorism detectives are keeping an open mind to the motivation of the attack," a statement added. "At this time, it has not been declared as a terrorist incident." The officer in charge of the investigation said "further information has come to light", which the force has "made Counter Terrorism Policing North West aware of". Chief Superintendent David Meeney, Commander for Manchester, said: "I know this update will only continue to make our local community concerned by Tuesday's events. "There is no information to indicate any further threat, and our local officers continue to be in the area. We are here to listen and to act, so please speak to our officers with any concerns."