Article Text
A student was recovering and a suspect was in custody following an act of violence at West Potomac High School on April 23, 2025, according to Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid.
Reid said the incident affected students and employees throughout the school community. She thanked county law enforcement for its response and praised West Potomac staff members, describing their actions that day as lifesaving.
Additional support staff were scheduled to remain at West Potomac for the rest of the week. Families seeking help for a child were encouraged to contact their school office for a connection to a counselor. Support personnel were also available at other FCPS schools.
The superintendent said FCPS regularly reviews its security procedures with the Office of Safety and Security and school resource officers. The school division’s security operations are staffed around the clock.
The incident occurred during the same week FCPS began piloting a weapons-screening system across all high schools. The division also maintains a safety tip line that accepts concerns by text, online and by phone.
Reid urged students, parents and other community members to report information about potentially unsafe behavior and called on the community to reject violence as a way of resolving conflict.