Three arrested and a woman bailed after Gloucester sword attack near school

Three people remain in police custody after a suspected Gloucester sword attack near a Catholic high school, while a fourth person has been released on bail, Gloucestershire Constabulary has said. The force has not said anyone has been charged, and all those arrested are presumed innocent.

What police say happened in Tuffley

Officers were called to Chalford Road, close to St Peter’s High School in Tuffley, shortly after 8.50am on Friday. According to police, it was reported that two people, one of them carrying a sword, had been seen chasing two 17-year-old boys. The pair who were allegedly being chased are said to have fled the scene on foot.

One of the boys suffered what the force described as a “superficial wound believed to have been caused by the sword”. The second boy was not physically hurt. Armed officers were sent to search for those involved, and St Peter’s and the nearby Willow primary academy were both placed in lockdown.

Arrests in the Gloucester sword attack investigation

Police say a 19-year-old man was arrested overnight on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray. On Saturday morning an 18-year-old man handed himself in. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon, assault and affray.

Later on Saturday the force announced that a third person, a 17-year-old boy from Gloucester, had been arrested that morning on suspicion of assisting an offender. Reports say all three are from Gloucester. The two men and the boy remain in custody for questioning.

A woman arrested on Friday on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on police bail while inquiries continue. Being arrested on suspicion of an offence is not evidence of guilt, and no charges had been reported at the time of the sources.

Lockdown and reassurance for parents

The timing of the incident, at the start of the school day, drew concern from the community. A pupil at St Peter’s told the BBC the situation was “really scary” and that students were kept in their classrooms for several hours. Parents were sent messages by the school saying there had been an incident but that matters were under control.

Detective Inspector Sophie Dawkins of Gloucestershire Constabulary’s CID said the force “completely understand[s] the concern this incident would have caused, especially when it happened near a school at drop-off time”. She said armed officers had searched the area with help from a drone unit and the National Police Air Service. Neighbourhood officers were also in the area to reassure parents, she said, adding that there is not thought to be a wider threat.

Appeal for witnesses and footage

Police are asking anyone who saw the incident and has not yet spoken to officers to come forward, as well as anyone with dashcam or other footage. Information can be submitted to Gloucestershire Police online, quoting reference number 53260095808.

The investigation into the Gloucester sword attack is continuing, and officers have said inquiries are ongoing. Early reports differed on how many people had been arrested as the situation developed, but the latest police position is three in custody and one woman on bail.

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