Teen suspect held after knife attack at Bavarian school

A 16-year-old suspect has been detained after a knife attack at a secondary school in the Bavarian town of Schongau left at least two schoolgirls seriously injured, prompting a large-scale police operation, authorities said.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident at around 12:50 p.m. local time at Welfen Gymnasium, where the attack occurred during school hours, according to Bild newspaper.

Police and rescue teams were deployed in significant numbers to secure the area and assist the victims.

Preliminary findings indicate that parts of the incident unfolded both on the school premises and in the immediate vicinity. The suspect attempted to flee but was apprehended shortly afterward, with a police helicopter involved in the search operation.

Investigators are working to establish whether the detained individual is a current or former student of the school. While initial reports suggested four people had been injured, police have so far confirmed at least two seriously wounded girls.

Six medical helicopters were dispatched to evacuate the injured and provide emergency care.

Authorities have urged residents to avoid the area as investigations continue. A reception point has been set up at a local fire station on Bahnhofstrasse for parents and relatives of the school’s approximately 800 students.

The circumstances and motive behind the attack remain under investigation.

By Tamilla Hasanova