Officials say student stabbed to death at Manor High School

(This story has been updated to add new information and remove an unrelated photo.)

A student died Tuesday afternoon at Manor Senior High School after being stabbed multiple times in the chest by a classmate.

The Manor Police Department identified the victim as 18-year-old Darrin Loving and said in a statement that his death occurred after paramedics performed life-saving medical procedures. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:47 p.m., according to a spokesman for Austin-Travis County EMS, which was called to the scene at 12:47 p.m.

Manor police arrested Mac Brown Mbah Mbanwei, also 18, in connection with the stabbing and charged him with murder. He remains in the Travis County Jail and had no bond set as of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Police said they were still actively investigating but described the incident as isolated and not posing an ongoing threat to students or the public.

The Manor School District announced it would cancel high school classes on Wednesday and Thursday to give students time to grieve, but said the campus would remain open and counselors would be available to talk to students.

“We understand this situation raises concerns, so we will also review campus safety,” said Superintendent Robert Sormani. “Our priority is to be present for all students and staff as we navigate this difficult time together.”

The district canceled classes Wednesday and Thursday not only at Manor Senior High School, where the stabbing occurred, but also at two nearby campuses also attended by high school students: Manor Early College High School, located at 14832 FM 973, and Manor High School, located at 12700 Gregg Manor Rd. (There are five different campuses in the Manor District that serve high school students.)

Any student wishing to speak with a counselor may do so on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Manor Early College High School; and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at Manor High School, the district said. Advisors will also be available after classes resume.

Manor Police Chief Ryan Phipps told the American-Statesman that the stabbing occurred in a classroom and was witnessed by multiple students interviewed as part of the investigation. However, Phipp’s deputy, Denver Police Chief Deputy Collins, told the American-Statesman on Tuesday night that the fatal incident occurred in a common area of the school.

Another law enforcement official told the American-Statesman that the attacker used a “large knife” and that investigators were working to determine what sparked the violence. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Fatal stabbings of students on school campuses are rare. The only time a student was murdered on an Austin school district campus was in 2003 15-year-old Austin student Ortralla Mosley was stabbed to death in an upstairs hallway at Austin High School. Reagannow known as Northeast Early College High School.

Manor Senior High School, which serves grades 11 and 12, closed early Tuesday and students were to be picked up outside campus, according to a message sent by the district at 1:26 p.m. Buses also took students home early, a Manor spokeswoman said Maritza Gallaga district. Students whose parents could not pick them up immediately were detained on campus, she added.

On Tuesday, just before 4 p.m., police were directing traffic in the parking lot next to the school stadium, where a long line of cars was waiting for students. Several parents who came to pick up their children declined to comment.

Tina Salinas, a mother whose son attends Manor Middle School, said she was very concerned about the stabbing. “It’s a little disturbing that a child managed to bring a knife to school,” she told the American-Statesman during an interview at a restaurant near the high school. Salinas said she and her son prayed for the victim and the suspect. “We just prayed for peace in our schools,” she said.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

This story has been updated to include a video.