Meet Maysum Abdullah: Teacher stabbed in neck protecting students during Manchester school attack, wife calls him ‘a true hero’ | World News
A teacher injured during a knife attack at a Manchester secondary school has been praised for protecting students after intervening when violence erupted inside a classroom.Maysum Abdullah, 27, is a teacher at Co-op Academy Manchester who has been hailed as a hero for stepping in to protect pupils during a knife attack at the school. He suffered injuries to his neck and hand during the incident in Blackley on Tuesday and is recovering at home after receiving hospital treatment.A 14-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and two counts of possessing a bladed article on school premises. She is due to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.Two other 14-year-old pupils were also injured in the attack but have since been discharged from hospital. Police said neither suffered serious injuries.Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Abdullah said he was recovering with his wife and was still trying to come to terms with what had happened.His wife, Saima, described him as a “hero” for stepping in to protect children during the attack. In a TikTok post, she said the family received a devastating call informing them that he had been taken to hospital after being stabbed.She said his injuries were not life-threatening but noted that the emotional impact of the incident would remain long after the physical wounds had healed.“My husband entered teaching to make a positive difference in young people’s lives and he is truly a hero for protecting and safeguarding those children,” she wrote.Saima also expressed support for the injured pupils and others affected by the incident, saying her thoughts were with the students and staff who witnessed the attack.The investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing North West because of the circumstances surrounding the case, although authorities have not classified the incident as terrorism.Police said the teenage suspect was initially detained under the Mental Health Act before being released into police custody following an assessment by healthcare professionals.Detective Chief Superintendent Jonathan Chadwick, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, described the charges as extremely serious and said officers continued to support the victims, their families and the wider school community.“Although charges have now been secured, our investigation is still ongoing, and we continue to work with local policing colleagues in the Blackley area,” he said.