By Mary Pemberton, Associated Press, 05/08/01

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- One child was stabbed outside as students waited in the playground for breakfast. Three more were attacked inside a classroom where they were hiding with a teacher.

Their alleged assailant muttered about "taking people back to God" as he roamed Mountain View Elementary School on Monday, according to police and witnesses.

"He was threatening everybody," said Randy Smith, chairman of the local community patrol. "He was rambling and saying religious stuff, stuff that made no sense."

Police finally subdued the suspect, whom they identified as Jason Pritchard, 33, after shooting him with three bean bag-type projectiles. He was treated at a hospital before being taken to jail.

Pritchard, of Anchorage, was charged Monday with four counts of first-degree attempted murder and four counts of first-degree assault. He was being held on $2 million bail.

All the children were stabbed in the neck with what police described as a filet knife. They were hospitalized in serious condition.

About 20 pupils witnessed the attack.

"This man, something was wrong with him. He was on drugs or something," said Ashley Smith, 11, whose brothers Billy Moy, 8, and Eric Moy, 9, were cut by the attacker.

The other children were identified as Cody Brown, 8, and Stephan Hansell, 7.

At least one of the students ran bleeding down a hallway after being attacked, said Ron McGee, a spokesman for the Anchorage Police Department. He said there was blood "all over the school."

Pritchard has been arrested 13 times since 1994 on charges including assault, stalking, criminal trespassing and driving while intoxicated, police said.

Pritchard used a mental health counseling center as a mailing address. Executive Director Ken Taylor said confidentiality agreements prevented him from talking about Pritchard or even verifying that he knew him.

Anchorage School District Superintendent Carol Comeau said security procedures at the district's schools would be reviewed. She said classes at Mountain View Elementary were canceled for Tuesday, and counseling would be offered to students and parents.