16-year-old boy dies after stabbing outside his Montreal high school

A 16-year-old boy has died after being stabbed outside of his school in Montreal'sCte-des-NeigesNotre-Dame-de-Grceborough Monday.

Montreal police say there was an altercation involving a group of teens outsideMile End high school, an alternative high school in the English Montreal School Board, near the corner of VanHorne and Victoria avenues around 3 p.m.

Police say the victim was stabbed in the upper body.

The injured boy went into the school for help andwas transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he later died.

According to the EMSB, the boy was a student at the high school, located in the basement of another school, Coronation Elementary. Both schools have cancelled classes today and atrauma team has been deployedtomeet with staff andassist students.

"This is absolutely shocking," said EMSB spokespersonMike Cohen. "This is not something that's ever occurred on the grounds of one of our schools."

According to the homepage of the school's website, Mile End high school is a small school with small classes that helps students in Grades 10 and 11 get back on track academically.

Cohen says the alternative school system has helped turn students' lives around and he stresses the system should not be tainted by this incident.

"This is an isolated incident and it should not paint our alternative school system badly," he said. "We don'thave issues with these students."

Cohen says the board doesn'tknow yet if they'll be stepping up security at the school.

In a statement, the EMSB extended its condolences to the family and friends of the student.

"This is a very sad day," said EMSBdirector general Nick Katalifos."We will make sure that all of the necessary resources are made available to this community."

Cohen says the trauma team will be with the staff Wednesday to guide them through talkingwith students about the incident when theyreturn to class.

He says some staff and students witnessedthe stabbing, adding it's a "terrible experience for anyone to have to go through."

Because the matter is under police investigation,the EMSBsays it cannot comment further.

Police say they are looking for teen suspects, possibly three of them, who fled on foot. Cohen saysit appears the suspects were not from the high school, but that has not been confirmed by police.

It's the 25th homicide on the Montreal police service's territory this year, police say.