LOBELVILLE, Tenn. — A 13-year-old Tennessee girl reportedly sliced a man in the face with a samurai-like sword while defending her mother from an attack, authorities said.

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According to the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred earlier this month. Deputies said the incident occurred in Lobelville, a town located 75 miles west of Nashville, WSMV reported.

Witnesses told deputies that the man was trying to attack the girl’s mother, according to the television station.

Officials with the sheriff’s office were tight-lipped about the incident. They did not say why the man was allegedly attacking the teen’s mother, or how the girl came into possession of the sword. The exact location of the incident was also in question, although Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems implied that it occurred at a school.

“This is a deeply unfortunate situation, made all the more heartbreaking given that the minor involved is a young girl still in grade school,” Sheriff Nick Weems told WSMV. “The principal and teaching staff have reached out to me and every one of them has spoken with nothing but praise for her character -- a powerful testament to her strength and composure throughout this ordeal.”

There is an elementary school in Lobelville, which has students in attendance up to the eighth grade. There is also a middle school and high school in Linden, located 13 miles south of Lobelville.

Witnesses told deputies that the man was attempting to harm the teen’s mother.

The man was flown to an area hospital for treatment, WBBJ reported.

Weems said that while the investigation is ongoing, initial witness accounts support the teen’s reaction. It was unclear what relationship the victim and assailant may have had with one another.

“When all the facts come to light, we may find that (the teen) wasn’t just a victim, she was a hero,” Weems told WSMV.

The extent of the man’s injuries was unclear. It was also unknown whether charges would be filed in the case.

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