Pigeon Lake teen stabbed in school library over $10 dispute, his mom says

A 16-year-old boy who was stabbed in the library of his school south of Edmonton was attacked over a $10 dispute, his mother tells CTV News Edmonton.

He was airlifted to the Stollery Children's Hospital Monday after he was injured at Pigeon Lake Regional School. He remained in hospital Tuesday in an induced coma.

The victim's mother said her son was stabbed in the stomach, just above his pelvis.

Both the victim and his mother cannot be identified because he and his alleged attacker, a fellow student, are both minors.

RCMP announced charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault against the 16-year-old on Tuesday. He's out on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on June 1.

"The investigators are interviewing everyone with relation to the incident to understand exactly why and how he brought a knife into the school and also what his motivations were and exactly what took place," Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said.

The boy was arrested at the high school, without further incident, RCMP confirmed.

The accused was known to the victim and his mother once employed him, she told CTV News Edmonton.

'ON HIGH ALERT': SUPERINTENDENT

The stabbing follows the homicide of 16-year-old Karanveer Sahota, who died of stab wounds he suffered outside of his school in Edmonton on April 8.

In January, 16-year-old Wesley Anderson was attacked by two other students at H.J. Cody High School. He was pushed to the ground and stomped on his head, he told CTV News of the beating, which was captured on video.

"As a parent, it gets your attention, but is there an increase (in high school violence)? I don't know if I would say that, I certainly haven't seen it," Savinkoff said.

Staff and students witnessed the stabbing, Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools Superintendent Peter Barron confirmed Monday.

Councillors will be in the Pigeon Lake area to support students and a meeting with parents is scheduled for this week.

"We consider ourselves on high alert, in the sense that all of our staff are watching for behaviours in all of our students and staff that may be different from their baseline behaviour," Barron explained.

"We are asking all of our staff to be aware of that, to bring that to the attention of administration, if required, for intervention."

The school is located near the community of Falun, which is located approximately 80 kilometres south of Edmonton.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Joe Scarpelli