In a dramatic incident at a Bålsta high school, teacher Eric Wall swiftly disarmed a former student who entered his classroom with a knife. Wall's quick actions prevented potential harm, and he later received strong support from colleagues and school leadership. The incident highlights the importance of teacher preparedness and student mental health awareness.
Heroic Teacher Stops Knife-Wielding Student in Swedish School
Heroic Teacher Stops Knife-Wielding Student in Swedish School
Teacher Eric Wall was conducting a social studies lesson when a former student entered the classroom holding a large knife. Acting swiftly, he tackled her into the corridor.
"I tackled her out into the corridor. It was shocking," he said.
The incident occurred at a high school in Bålsta on Monday morning.
Eric Wall, 33, a social studies teacher, had just started a geography test for his eighth-grade students and was ready to assist them when the former student appeared.
"I approached her, greeted her, and asked what she was doing there. When she looked up and turned slightly, I saw she had a knife in her right hand," Eric Wall recounted, having also spoken to Aftonbladet.
"Turned into a Wrestling Match"
He acted immediately.
"When I saw the knife, I grabbed her wrist with my right hand and tackled her into the corridor. With my left hand, I took the knife from her. It turned into a sort of wrestling match for a while."
Eric Wall described how the teenage girl, who according to the prosecutor is over twelve but under fifteen years old, "completely gave up" when he managed to seize the knife. However, he still wanted to remove her from the class and took her to an office further away.
They stayed there until the police arrived.
"I sat her on the sofa and threw the knife on a shelf out of reach. She was very angry and upset, screaming, but we had a good relationship when I had her as a student, so she could calm down."
Support After the Incident
A day and a half after the incident, Eric Wall has yet to fully process it.
"It was a very tumultuous situation. It was just shocking, and I still haven't really understood what happened," he said.
The teacher feels he receives "incredible support" from his colleagues and school leadership to handle the incident. Affected students have also been offered support, and they and Eric Wall discussed the event after it happened.
How trained are teachers for this type of incident?
"I think it's unusual. Before I went on vacation, the school ordered a course after what happened in Örebro (when ten people were shot dead at Campus Risbergska in February, ed. note), on how to handle a school shooting. It was, of course, unpleasant when they talked about everything and what you might be forced to do, but it was no situation like this. Preparing feels almost impossible."
Emphasizing the Importance of Seeing Students
Eric Wall believes he reacted instinctively. The first thing he thought when he saw the girl's knife—which he describes as a large stabbing knife—was to control her wrist and make her let go.
"There is a lot in my situation that was luck. That she chose my classroom. That she held the knife with the blade backward so I could take her wrist," the teacher said.
He continued:
"It's very difficult. In the end, it's a girl who is feeling very bad. You should try to see such people and do your best for them. Even the smallest actions can mean the world to someone."
Eric Wall does not want to speculate on the girl's possible motives, and prosecutor Sara Sundström does not want to comment on who is considered the victim or other details. However, she states that the girl was taken into custody in connection with the incident, and an investigation is ongoing.