A 10-year-old boy who armed himself with a knife at a Hayward elementary school Monday morning is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, officials said.
The fifth-grade student grabbed an 8-inch knife from a faculty lounge area and walked down a hallway, where a parent was able to take the knife away, Hayward Police Sgt. Ken Forkus said.
"I walked closer and saw a knife in his hands and he was walking down the hallway," said Leslie Philiips, a mother at the school.
Phillips was there when an alert dad tackled the boy.
Police were called to Hillview Crest Elementary School at 31410 Wheelon Ave. around 8:05 a.m. The boy, who did not threaten anyone while holding the knife, was taken to the principal's office, Forkus said.
A small laceration was found on the parent's hand but medical attention was not needed, he said.
No other injuries were reported, and the school was not temporarily placed on lockdown.
The boy was placed on a psychiatric hold, which can last up to 72 hours, the sergeant said.
The student was also placed on a psychiatric hold by police a year ago,but Forkus said he did not know the circumstances of that incident.
Concerned parents at the school demanded answers, especially after they were notified of the incident six hours later.
Police said the boy mentioned he was tired of being bullied by other kids, and that he got the knife from the staff lounge.
District officials and staff from Hillview Crest Elementary held a 5 p.m. meeting for parents at the school campus to answer any questions regarding the incident.
