Title: Quebec teen stabbed at school over Pokemon cards

Source: Reuters, 10/27/99

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MONTREAL, Oct 27 (Reuters) - A Quebec teenager was stabbed on Tuesday in a school yard by a 12-year-old student after he tried to help his younger brother get his Pokemon cards back, police said. 

The 14-year-old teenager was rushed to hospital but was later released. 

Pokemon trading cards, based on the Japanese series featuring the characters from the animated television programmes, is a booming fad among North American youth. 

School officials said the Pokemon cards had become so popular before the stabbing that they had considered banning them. 

Grand Toys International Inc. (GRIN.O), is the Pokemon distributor in Canada. 

Quebec police said that the 10-year-old brother of the stabbed high-school teenager showed up on Monday at a primary school in Laval, a large suburb of Montreal, with Pokemon cards that he expected to exchange with fellow students. 

A 12-year-old boy stole the cards, prompting the older brother to attempt to get them back. But he was hit and stabbed in the shoulder by a four-inch knife. 

"The guy was crazy. He even tried to stab the teacher and he told us he would kill us all," the victim told Le Journal de Montreal daily. 

Police said the young assailant was overpowered and disarmed by the teacher and later arrested.