Horror unfolded inside two classrooms at a Manassas trade school Tuesday, where police say a student stabbed two of his classmates, killing one and critically wounding the other.
Police shot and killed the stabbing suspect outside the entrance of the school.
The family of the slain student, 23-year-old Elijah Islam Safadi of Manassas, said he had a baby on the way. His family said Safadi worked hard as an electrician and was taking classes at a trade school in Manassas to further his career.
Safadi's family shared in a statement: "He was a GREAT. He got up every day to go to work as an electrician. He loved his brothers (5) total. He was going to be a new father as well."
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But on Tuesday afternoon, Prince William County police say 26-year-old Philip Austin Brant pulled out a knife and went on a rampage at the trade school in the 7000 block of Infantry Ridge Road. Multiple people called 911 just before 3:30 p.m., police said in a release.
"It was a terrible scene for everybody involved," Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham said. "He didn’t even get into a dispute; he produced a weapon and just started to stab one of the students."
Police said Brant pulled a knife out of his backpack and stabbed Safadi multiple times inside a classroom. Brant then went into another classroom, where he stabbed a second student, police said.
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Newsham said students in the class rushed to perform first aid on the stabbing victims.
"They had the wherewithal and the mindset to go and try to save their classmates, which was pretty striking to me," Newsham said.
Once outside the school, Brant ignored orders to drop his knife and moved toward the officers instead, police said.
A News4 viewer sent in photos showing the suspect with a knife in his hand outside the school. Police confirmed the photos' authenticity.
Multiple officers opened fire on Brant with their department-issued handguns, police said. Brant, of Woodbridge, was shot and was declared dead at the scene.
Both stabbing victims were treated at the scene before being rushed to hospitals, police said. But Safadi did not survive.
Safadi's family said he leaves behind his mother, father, stepfather, five brothers including a twin, and his unborn child.
The other stabbing victim, a 23-year-old Fairfax man, remained in critical condition Wednesday, authorities said.
Outside the school, people have been leaving flowers to pay their respects. Classes are cancelled through the end of the week.
The union that runs the school, IBEW Local 26, released a video on Facebook, in which an official says, "This is a tragic time and I know you all have questions, but we have no ability to answer those questions right now. Please keep everybody in your thoughts and prayers."
Authorities said they were still trying to determine a motive for the stabbing and they were looking into whether mental health issues played a role.
Prince William County police said that, according to department policy, there will be an outside investigation of the shooting. The two officers who killed the suspect are currently on paid administrative leave, which is routine in these situations.
The officers were both assigned to uniformed patrol operations and have 5 years and 1.5 years of service respectively, the department said.
Police said body cam footage captured the deadly confrontation at the front of the trade school. That video will be released within 30 days.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
