Knife rampage at major faculty leaves lady, seven, useless, a trainer in life-threatening situation and 6 others wounded
A seven-year-old girl has died and a teacher and five other students were wounded in a knife attack at a school.
Police said the attack happened at 9.50am at the Precko Elementary School in the neighbourhood of the same name in Zagreb, Croatia, on Friday.
State HRT television said the attacker entered the school and went straight into the first classroom he found and attacked the children with a sharp object.
Police described the attacker as a ‘young male’ and he was later confirmed to be 19 years old.
He was identified by local media as a former student of the school and was detained by police.
Eight people – two adults and six children – were in the attack, with a seven-year-old girl succumbing to her injuries.
The teacher stabbed in the rampage reportedly suffered life-threatening injuries.
Video footage published by Croatian media showed children running away from the school building and a medical helicopter landing in the schoolyard.
Police officers stand, following a knife attack in a primary school, in Zagreb, Croatia, December 20, 2024
People stand near an ambulance, following a knife attack in a primary school, in Zagreb, Croatia, December 20, 2024
Video footage published by Croatian media showed children running away from the school building and a medical helicopter landing in the schoolyard
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said at the start of the government session that he is ‘appalled’ by the attack and that authorities are still working to determine exactly what happened.
‘We are shocked, as is the entire Croatian public, with the horrible tragedy at the primary school,’ Mr Plenkovic said.
Mr Plenkovic said several children have been taken to four hospitals in Zagreb.
Zagreb mayor Tomislav Tomasevic, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs rushed to the school following the attack.
School attacks are rare in Croatia.
Last May, a teenager in neighbouring Serbia opened fire at a school in the capital Belgrade, killing nine fellow students and a school guard.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
