Man stabs women, one his wife in her own classroom

A gunman and anti-woman stabber critically wounded two women - a 22 year old by stabbing, then his wife, a teacher, by barging into her classroom while it was in session, then stabbing her. The incidents occored in Portsmouth, OH.

His first victim, Stephanie Loop, 22, was stabbed multiple times, and is in critical condition at a Columbus hospital. This incident occured four blocks away from his wife's workplace. Then Layne went to his wife's workplace so he could attack her.

A teacher police identified as Michael's wife, Christi Layne, was stabbed inside her classroom, according to Porstmouth Police. Police originally had said Michael Layne shot his wife Christi, but later said it was unclear whether a gunshot fired in the school hit her. Students reported hearing at least one gunshot during the incident, but medical officials haven't been able to confirm if Layne suffers from a gunshot wound. Layne was last listed in critical condition at Cabell Huntington Hospital at noon Thursday. Her family has since requested that hospital officials no longer release her status.

A short time later, they got a call about the shooting at the school. Christi Layne is a fifth grade teacher at Notre Dame Elementary School. The principal of the school, Kay Kern, said she had been a teacher for 19 years. Wallace confirmed seventeen fifth grade children were in the classroom when she was shot.

Michael Layne then returned to his house where he engaged in a standoff with police before shooting and killing himself.

(Update - Feb 9)

Both victims are in critical, but stable condition. Stephanie Loop, the first stabbing vistim, was his girlfriend. Layne stabbed her after she told him that she wanted to break up with him and she had second thoughts about being with an older man.

Loop's cousin, Chrissy Shepherd, told the Portsmouth Daily Times that Layne considered Loop his girlfriend.

"I don't know if he feared she was abandoning him or what," she told the paper for a story published Friday.

Officials were still sorting out other parts of the story, the chief said. They had declined to talk about details of the attacks, the motive, weapons and what was found in Layne's home.
Shepherd told the newspaper that Loop had called her Wednesday night to ask for a ride home from Layne's house. On Thursday morning, he attacked Loop as the two women returned home from a visit to a tattoo parlor, Shepherd said.

"He kept slashing at her, but for the most part, the knife was just ripping her coat," she said. "We jumped inside and I locked the door – locked the front door, too – and called 911."
She said Loop had stab wounds in the chest and left shoulder.
"I sat with her on the couch and held pressure on her wounds until the police and ambulance came," Shepherd said.

Neighbors interviewed said that Layne, a retired city water works employee, was friendly but strange, digging in his yard one night, and could show a temper.