Knife attack at French high school leaves one student dead, three injured

A teenager attacked several students with a knife at a high school in Nantes, France, resulting in one student’s death and three others being injured, according to the French Interior Ministry.

The attacker, a 16-year-old student, was detained by authorities after the incident, Caliber.Az reports, citing Europe1.

Born in 2009, the young man was in the second grade (equivalent to 10th grade in the US) of a public lycée. The attack unfolded when he ascended to the second floor of the school and stabbed a girl with whom he had a dispute. The exact reason for the conflict remains unclear.

After the initial attack, the teenager proceeded to the floor below, where he stabbed three more classmates. The police arrived at the school to find the attacker subdued by the school's IT manager, who had intervened to prevent further violence. Two knives were discovered on the floor.

Le Point reported, citing sources, that the teenager had no previous police record and appeared to be an unremarkable young man, though he had been suffering from depression.

In response to the tragedy, Education Minister Elisabeth Borne took to social media, writing that she was heading to the scene with Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. She expressed her condolences, stating that she planned to show solidarity with the victims and support the educational community.

The attack follows a concerning rise in similar incidents involving teenagers wielding knives at or near schools. This spate of violence has prompted the government to take action. Minister Borne announced plans to strengthen regulations surrounding students found in possession of knives on school grounds, stating that such cases will now be referred to a disciplinary board for further action.

In a similar incident, a 19-year-old man attacked children and a teacher with a knife at an elementary school in Zagreb, Croatia, in December. One child, a seven-year-old, died from stab wounds, while the teacher suffered life-threatening injuries.

By Tamilla Hasanova