NSW: School attack may have been retribution - police

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2008
NSW: School attack may have been retribution - police

Five boys armed with baseball bats and a machete may have been looking for revenge
when they attacked a western Sydney high school and its students according to police.

A teacher was hit over the head as he tried to stop them during their rampage through
Merrylands High School at 8.50(AEST) this morning.

Police say the boys .. who are between 14 and 16 .. came to the school looking for
someone .. but still haven't worked out their exact motive.

They say the boys walked through the main gate and stormed the assembly in an outdoor
quadrangle brandishing baseball bats and a machete.

Students were locked in their classrooms for protection as the youths ran through the
corridors of two buildings .. smashing every window they could find .. showering students
with glass.

Police say when they confronted the teenagers .. they dropped their weapons and didn't
resist arrest.

Detective Inspector JIM STEWART of Holroyd Police has told Macquarie Radio he's stunned
by the brazenness of the attack.

A male teacher was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after suffering bruising
to the back of his head as he tried to restrain one of the youths, the Ambulance Service
of NSW said.

The attack also left 18 students injured, most with cuts and abrasions from broken
glass, although one girl was taken to hospital with a swollen cheek after allegedly being
assaulted by one of the teenage boys.

Police said five youths, all aged between 14- and 16-years-old, entered the school
via the main gate on Sherwood Road and stormed the assembly in an outdoor quadrangle.

The intruders allegedly approached the gathered students brandishing baseball bats
and a machete, prompting teachers to immediately lock down the school.

The students were locked inside their classrooms for safety, police said.

The boys allegedly ran through the corridors of two school buildings smashing every
window they could find, showering students with glass.

When police confronted the youths, they dropped their weapons and did not resist arrest.

They are being questioned at Merrylands police station and will likely face charges
of assault, affray and malicious damage.

Det Insp Stewart said he was stunned by the brazenness of the incident.

The attack left 18 students injured .. most from broken glass .. although one girl
was taken to hospital with a swollen cheek after allegedly being assaulted by one of the
teenagers.

AAP RTV sk/hn/kd/hn/bart

KEYWORD: BASEBALL (SYDNEY)

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