How River Valley High School tragedy unfolded: Student seen holding axe, asking others to call police

Ng Wei Kai
The Straits Times
July 27, 2021

On July 19 (Monday), a Sec 4 student at River Valley High School allegedly killed a Sec 1 student on campus.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (July 27), Education Minister Chan Chun Sing outlined the timeline of the incident, adding that not all details can be shared as the case is now before the Court.

11.35am

- Towards the end of lunch break, a group of students encounters a Sec 4 student outside a toilet. He is holding an axe and asks them to call the police. The students return to their classroom and inform their teacher.

- The Sec 4 student asks another group of students in the classroom next to the toilet to call the police. The students' immediate response is the emergency 'Run-Hide-Tell' lockdown drill - they go into their classroom, lock the doors and call their form teachers for help.

- A teacher arrives at the scene and tells the student to put down the axe. He complies and is escorted away to a meeting room. Other teachers call the police and check the toilet.

- About 10 minutes later, the police arrive and take the 16-year-old Sec 4 student into custody. Police officers and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics find a 13-year-old Sec 1 student lying motionless in the toilet with multiple wounds. They pronounce him dead.

- Once the situation is under control, the principal breaks the news to the rest of the staff then speaks to the students. She tells them that a serious incident has happened and asks all students to contact their parents to tell them that they are safe.

- The principal then speaks to the group of students who are most affected by the incident. Parents are also informed via Parents Gateway - a communication app - that a serious incident has happened in school.

3.15pm

- The school begins to dismiss students and stations teachers at the school gates to speak to parents and students.

Evening

- Parents are informed that a student has died. The school asks parents to monitor the well-being of their child. Parents who are worried are encouraged to contact form teachers.

- Preliminary investigations by the police show that the two students had not known each other before the incident and that the axe was bought online.

July 20

- The 16-year-old student is charged in court with murder. He is now in remand for psychiatric assessment.

Getting help

National Care Hotline: 1800-202-6868 (8am - 12am)

Mental well-being

Fei Yue’s Online Counselling Service: eC2.sg website (Mon to Fri, 10am to 12pm, 2pm to 5pm)
Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444 (24 hours) /1-767 (24 hours)
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)
Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928/6509-0271 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)
Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 (Mon to Fri, 2.30pm to 5pm)/ Tinkle Friend website (Mon to Thu, 2.30pm to 7pm and Fri, 2.30pm to 5pm)

Counselling

TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm)
Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800 (Daily, 10am to 10pm)