• A 16-year-old Sec 4 student was arrested for allegedly killing a Sec 1 student
• He is due to be charged with murder on July 20 
• A court order will be sought to remand the teenager for psychiatric assessment, the police said

SINGAPORE — A 16-year-old Secondary 4 student of River Valley High School has been arrested for allegedly killing a 13-year-old boy, who was a Secondary 1 student.

The police said on Monday (July 19) in a statement sent at 5.19pm — almost six hours after the incident took place — that early investigations showed that the two boys did not know each other. 

The 16-year-old Singaporean boy will be charged on Tuesday with murder. This is with a view to seeking an order from the court to remand the teenager for psychiatric assessment, they said.

The police received a call for help at 6 Boon Lay Avenue, the address of River Valley High School, at about 11.40am on Monday.

Officers found the 13-year-old Singaporean boy lying motionless in a toilet at the school.

He had multiple wounds and was pronounced dead by a paramedic from the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

“Notwithstanding the preliminary findings and the arrest of the teenager, the police are continuing their investigations into the motive for the assault.

"An axe was also seized as a case exhibit,” they said.

The police added that they would carry out a thorough investigation and the full facts would be established in court. 

“Pending the court proceedings, the police would like to urge members of the public to refrain from speculating on the case out of respect for the family of the deceased.”

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and River Valley High School said that they were deeply saddened by the death of the student and were supporting his family. 

“The school has also reached out to students, parents and staff to provide counselling support and the necessary assistance to ensure their well-being,” they said.

MOE and the school added that the safety of students was of paramount importance and that the ministry works closely with schools to ensure campus security. 

“As police investigations are ongoing, we are unable to comment further. In this hour of grief, we urge the public to accord his family privacy and respect.”

Earlier, the school said in an update on its parents' portal that a “serious incident” involving a Sec 1 student had taken place and that a Sec 4 male student was assisting in police investigations.

The school, in its message, also urged parents not to speculate on the incident or post anything on social media.

When TODAY visited the school at around 3.20pm, several police cars and police officers were at the scene. Fifteen cars, some belonging to parents, were also seen near the back gate of the school. 

Photographs circulating on social media also showed ambulances at the school. 

Some parents had turned up at the school in the afternoon, following the message on the portal, media reports and messages circulating on WhatsApp about the incident. 

Students were also seen being released at about 3.30pm, after they were kept indoors for their safety after the incident, TODAY understands.

They were ushered by school staff members and not allowed to speak to the media. 

In a Facebook post on Monday afternoon, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said that MOE is working closely with the police on the investigations and the police will share more details in due course.

At about 6.30pm, Mr Chan was seen at the school. He told the media that he had spoken to the principals, teachers and some students during his visit there.

He repeated the assurances made earlier in his Facebook post and appealed to the public not to speculate on the reasons and respect the affected families’ privacy. He did not take any questions from the media.