A teacher who intervened to protect students during a knife attack at a Manchester secondary school has been hailed as a hero after he suffered stab wounds to his neck and hand.
Maysum Abdullah, 27, was attacked on Tuesday morning at Co-op Academy Manchester on Plant Hill Road in Blackley. He is recovering at home with his wife, Saima, who said he “entered teaching to make a positive difference in young people’s lives and he is truly a hero for protecting and safeguarding those children.”
Mr Abdullah told the Manchester Evening News he was still “trying to process” the incident. His wife described receiving “devastating news” that her husband had been stabbed while shielding pupils in his classroom, and expressed gratitude that his wounds were not life-threatening.
Two 14-year-old pupils were also injured during the attack. One sustained shoulder injuries and the other suffered injuries to their ear, Greater Manchester Police said. All three injured individuals have been discharged from hospital and did not suffer serious injuries.
The attack and school response
The incident occurred shortly after the start of the school day on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The school was immediately placed into lockdown, and staff acted quickly to detain the pupil before emergency services arrived. The Co-op Academies Trust confirmed that staff “acted bravely” to detain the student. The school was closed for the remainder of the day following the incident.
Suspect charged
A 14-year-old girl was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault. She was initially detained under the Mental Health Act for assessment by health professionals, then released into police custody. She has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a bladed article on school premises. She was due to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Why counterterrorism officers are leading the investigation
Counter Terrorism Policing North West has taken over the investigation, working alongside Greater Manchester Police. The decision to involve specialist counterterrorism officers was made due to “circumstances” surrounding the incident, although it has not been declared a terrorist incident. Chief Superintendent David Meeney said local detectives had been investigating the case “at pace” and that further information led to Counter Terrorism Policing North West becoming involved. He assured the community that there was no information indicating a further threat.
Detective Chief Superintendent Jonathan Chadwick, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said: “These are extremely serious charges against a young girl and, working closely with Greater Manchester Police, we continue to support the victims and their families and offer support to the wider school community, who have been deeply affected by what happened. Although charges have now been secured, our investigation is still ongoing, and we continue to work with local policing colleagues in the Blackley area.”
Detectives are keeping an open mind regarding the motivation behind the attack. Searches related to the investigation are ongoing, and police have urged the public not to speculate about the incident, describing it as unhelpful and likely to cause concern for the victims and those affected. Officers are maintaining a visible presence in the area to provide reassurance.
Wider context
The stabbing came the day after another Co-op Academy in Walkden, Salford, was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure due to reports of an individual with a knife in the local area. Some parents of pupils at Co-op Academy Manchester reported that they were not immediately informed by the school and had to piece together information from their children.
