Teacher stops suspect from stabbing student at high school in Porterville

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- A South Valley educator is being hailed as a hero for his courageous actions to intervene in an armed attack on a student.

A new image allegedly shows a stabbing suspect, disguised as a student with a backpack and hoodie, moments before an attack at Monache High School.

Police say 19-year-old Noah Seratte entered the campus in Porterville on Monday morning.

After about an hour, he allegedly walked into Robert Sundre's classroom and stabbed a 15-year-old girl.

"I saw his hand come up like this, and I don't know what happened. I reacted, I grabbed the chair. I was across the room by the time he had a second stroke coming in," said Mr. Sundre.

"He missed the second stroke, if I remember right, and he saw me coming at him with a chair."

The suspect then ran away, but Sundre says he left evidence behind.

"I saw the kid's backpack and opened it, and there was a hammer," said Sundre.

After the stabbing, Sundre, who has been teaching for 30 years, quickly focused his attention on the victim.

He applied pressure to her wound and instructed staff to call 911.

Within moments, school nurses responded, and not long after, Porterville police arrested the suspect nearby.

We've learned Serrate is a former student who was expelled last year and never returned.

Authorities say he was previously arrested for making threats against students and staff.

Monday's attack has administrators reviewing all of their protocols.

"We are looking at everything that took place that morning to really make sure that our campus is safe and our students are safe," said Monache High School Principal Shondra Walker.

Walker says she is thankful for the swift response and for everyone who kept a disturbing situation from getting worse.

"There are not enough words to thank Mr. Sundre for his response. He was faced with the unthinkable and responded instantaneously, so we are so grateful to him for that," said Walker.

The student is recovering and should be back in school soon.

Mr. Sundre will be recognized at a school board meeting later this week.

As for the suspect, he is being held without bail and is expected to be in court later this week for an arraignment.

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