Recovery Expected to Take Weeks for Teacher Injured in Ammanford School Stabbing
In a distressing incident at Amman Valley School (Ysgol Duffryn Aman) in Wales, a teacher suffered severe injuries during a stabbing that took place just after morning break on a Wednesday. The school was promptly placed on lockdown following the attack, which occurred at 11:20 AM. Liz Hopkin, along with fellow teacher Fiona Elias and a pupil, were the victims of this violent event. All three have since been released from the hospital.
John Hopkin, Liz’s husband, shared harrowing details of his wife’s ordeal, revealing that she sustained “four deep knife wounds” in the attack. According to MailOnline, these injuries included a wound to the neck, two in the back, and one in her knee, incurred as she attempted to intervene during the assailant’s attack on a pupil. Describing the severity of the situation, John stated, “They are all serious wounds – she was cleaned up and had stitches put in. She’s weak, pretty ill actually and in pain but she’s putting a brave face on it.”
The recovery process for Ms. Hopkin is expected to be lengthy. John Hopkin noted that it would take “at least a few weeks before the wounds heal and she can think about going back to school.” This echoes his earlier statement to The Telegraph, where he estimated a “fair few weeks” for full recovery.
The day of the incident was particularly traumatic for John, who also works at the school. He recounted the frightening moments, saying, “I work with her. It was quite frightening. I’d rather not go into it.” He followed his wife to the hospital after she was airlifted from the scene. Reflecting on her condition, he added, “She’s very shaken, very concerned about the kids that were around and the other members of staff and children who were there.”
In the aftermath, a 13-year-old girl was charged with three counts of attempted murder. Teacher Darrel Campbell played a heroic role by disarming the suspect and restraining her until the police arrived. The gravity of the situation was underscored by a witness close to the case, who remarked that one of the teachers was “lucky to be alive” after being stabbed in the neck and airlifted from the school grounds.
The incident also led to police action against a 15-year-old boy following concerns over messages related to the stabbing shared on social media. Superintendent Ross Evans highlighted that while this investigation runs parallel to the school incident inquiries, efforts are being made to determine any connections between the alleged offenses. He urged the public to refrain from speculation and sharing related images or videos, while also acknowledging the swift response of emergency and medical teams, as well as the support from the community during this critical time.