Teen’s Knife Horror Over Vape Pen!

A 16-year-old student allegedly brought a knife to school, stabbed five people — including a security guard — and landed one victim in the ICU, all reportedly traced back to a stolen vape pen.

Story Snapshot

Waleed Emad Essakhi, 16, faces multiple counts of first-degree assault after the stabbing at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington.
Detectives say Essakhi stole a vape pen the day before the attack, triggering the confrontation that turned violent.
Surveillance video shows Essakhi apparently concealing a knife and provoking victims before the attack began.
One victim remains in the ICU with stab wounds to the chest and side; a security guard was cut while disarming the suspect.

Charges Filed After Tacoma School Stabbing

Pierce County prosecutors filed charges Friday morning against Waleed Emad Essakhi, a 16-year-old student at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington. Essakhi faces multiple counts of first-degree assault stemming from a Thursday afternoon stabbing incident that injured five people, including a security guard. The charges were filed in Pierce County Superior Court, and Essakhi was transported to the hospital following the incident along with all victims.

The most critically wounded victim sustained stab wounds to the chest and side and remained in the ICU following the attack. A second victim suffered a stab wound to the back, while others sustained cuts and lacerations. The security guard on duty was cut on his hand while physically disarming Essakhi during the confrontation, according to charging documents reviewed by multiple news outlets.

Vape Pen Theft Sparked the Violent Confrontation

Detectives interviewed the victims, who told investigators that Essakhi had stolen a vape pen from one of them the day before the stabbing. That theft set the stage for the Thursday confrontation at the school. Rather than a spontaneous fight, the incident followed a clear sequence of events rooted in a prior grievance — a troubling pattern where petty disputes escalate rapidly into serious violence on school grounds.

Surveillance video recovered by police documented Essakhi’s behavior in the moments before the stabbing. According to the arrest report, the video shows Essakhi slapping his own face and bouncing toward a victim, appearing to bait the group into striking first. Detectives noted his stance was “bladed” and that he appeared to reach into his right pocket and withdraw an object while using his left hand as a distraction. Essakhi reportedly had the knife in hand when the group began punching him and he swung the blade at them.

School Violence Demands Accountability, Not Excuses

This incident at Foss High School is a stark reminder that school safety cannot be taken for granted. A teenager allegedly came to school armed with a knife, premeditated a confrontation stemming from a stolen vape pen, and left one classmate fighting for his life in the ICU. The security guard who intervened to stop further bloodshed was himself injured in the process — a testament to the dangerous environment school staff increasingly face.

Waleed Emad Essakhi, 16, faces five counts of first-degree assault after allegedly stabbing 4 people at his school.https://t.co/PDVuz3qX3A

— KOMO News (@komonews) May 3, 2026

Parents, educators, and community members in Tacoma — and across the country — have every right to demand that schools be safe environments where students can learn without fear. When a 16-year-old can walk onto a campus with a concealed knife and carry out a multi-victim attack over a vape pen, serious questions must be asked about security protocols, early warning systems, and whether prior behavioral red flags were adequately addressed. Accountability for violent acts must be swift and clear, regardless of the perpetrator’s age.