At Least 8 Injured in High School Knife Attack in Poland, 19-Year-Old Suspect Arrested

A violent knife attack at a vocational high school in northeastern Poland left at least eight people injured Wednesday, Oct. 7, after a 19-year-old man allegedly attacked students and a teacher inside and around the school grounds.

The incident happened at Vocational School Complex No. 4 in Ostrołęka at around 11 a.m. local time, according to prosecutors cited by PEOPLE. Police were quickly called to the scene and later detained a 19-year-old suspect near the school.

Authorities initially reported that at least seven people had been injured, but prosecutors later said the number had risen to at least eight. Most of those hurt were students, while at least one teacher was also among the victims. Two injured people were reported to be in serious condition and were taken to the Mazovian Specialist Hospital in Ostrołęka.

The suspect was found near the school with what appeared to be blood on his hands and was also injured. Police detained him shortly after the attack and he was taken for medical treatment. Reuters later reported that the suspect was a student at the school and that authorities said he had used a machete during the attack.

In the immediate aftermath, students reportedly barricaded themselves inside classrooms for protection before emergency crews evacuated the building. Authorities also brought in bomb-disposal experts after a homemade explosive device was reportedly discovered in the suspect’s backpack.

The attack sent shockwaves through the local community, prompting authorities to temporarily close schools in Ostrołęka while police secured the area and investigators worked to establish exactly what happened.

Mayor Paweł Niewiadomski said the situation had been brought under control as authorities continued examining the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Investigators have not yet established a motive. Police and prosecutors are working to reconstruct the sequence of events, determine how the attack unfolded and gather evidence from the school and surrounding area.

School attacks of this kind are relatively uncommon in Poland, making the incident particularly alarming for students, parents and educators across the country. Authorities are expected to provide further details as the investigation progresses.

The allegations against the suspect remain under investigation, and no motive has been confirmed by authorities.

Source: PEOPLE