Violence Erupts at Billings Senior High As Teacher and Student Hospitalized in Stabbing Incident

A Billings Senior High School teacher was attacked and sustained stab wounds Tuesday afternoon, marking another violent episode at the campus that has been plagued by security threats in recent years.

The assault occurred around 4:23 PM on January 13th, after regular school hours, when an altercation erupted on the third floor between a teacher and female student.

Both the teacher and student suffered stab wounds during the confrontation, with the educator sustaining what police described as "non-life-threatening" injuries.

The chaotic scene unfolded as two evening events — a concert and wrestling match — were taking place in the gymnasium, bringing dozens of families and community members to the campus.

About eight police vehicles swarmed the school around 5:20 PM, with several nearby streets blocked off as a large number of Billings police responded to the stabbing report.

School officials immediately placed the building into lockdown and notified 911, with students confined to the gymnasium during the emergency response.

District leaders later confirmed the teacher was in stable condition and receiving medical care, though the current conditions of both victims have not been publicly released.

The incident represents another troubling chapter for Billings Senior High, which has faced multiple security crises over the past several years.

Students at the school are now prohibited from bringing backpacks to class due to safety and space concerns, a policy implemented after a school survey showed 65.3% of teachers strongly supported stricter security measures.

The campus has endured previous lockdowns, including a 2019 incident when a staff member reported seeing someone with what appeared to be a handgun, and threats discovered in bathroom stalls that led to student arrests.

Superintendent Erwin Garcia announced all classes and extracurricular activities at Senior High are canceled Wednesday to allow the community time to process the traumatic event.

Crisis support teams and counselors will be available all day Thursday when students and staff return, district officials confirmed.

Police have confirmed all parties involved are accounted for with no ongoing public threat, though the investigation remains active as detectives work to determine what triggered the violent confrontation.

Billings Police Chief Rich St. John and district officials have declined to release additional details, citing the ongoing criminal investigation and privacy concerns for those involved.