A stabbing at Greymouth High School has been described as "horrendous", with horror at the incident reverberating throughout the community.
A teenager appeared in the Greymouth Youth Court on Wednesday on yet-to-be-revealed charges.
The incident happened before school started on Wednesday morning.
One person was in hospital with multiple stab wounds including, the Greymouth Star understands, one to their lung.
In a statement on Wednesday, Greymouth High School principal Samantha Mortimer and board of trustees chairman Lachlan Bull offered reassurance the handling of safety at the school remained their "highest priority".
They confirmed the incident had occurred before classes began on Wednesday.
"The school acted promptly and referred the matter to police," the school said in a statement.
"The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our highest priority. Support is being provided to the students and whānau directly involved, as well as to any others who may need it."
However, the school said it would not be commenting further given the matter was now before the Youth Court.
The judge in the Greymouth Youth Court declined media access to the hearing.
Grey District Mayor Tania Gibson also declined to comment after being approached as the town’s civic leader.
She cited a personal connection to those involved, and, while given time for a considered comment, she subsequently declined via a council spokeswoman.
However deputy mayor Allan Gibson said what had transpired "just horrified" him.
Cr Gibson said what stuck with him was how such behaviour could be allowed to unfold, including the idea students might be taking weapons to the school.
"I’m absolutely gobsmacked with it. I’ve got a grandson who goes to the school ... I’m just horrified. This is Greymouth, not New York.
"I’m not sure how you are going to control it — metal detectors?"
What had occurred was certainly "not expected" in the Greymouth community, Cr Gibson said.
He agreed the need for a wider community-led response might be timely to address the type of behaviour that allegedly played out at the school on Wednesday.
"It’s time the parents took responsibility for their kids, and it’s time everyone grows up — it’s not a TV show," he said.
"This is real life, this is life and death.
"It’s horrendous in Greymouth, where we didn’t think we had a problem like that ... What sort of town has this become? It’s shocking."
It was particularly worrying to hear of "weapons being taken into the school".
"I mean, they’ve banned cellphones," he said.
Mr Bull said every school was a community "made up of individuals".
Any incident at the school was concerning and was "always serious".
In light of what had just occurred, the school was following policy and procedure, Mr Bull said.
"At the top of my mind is health and safety for everyone. We take it absolutely seriously." — Greymouth Star
