Nine wounded in knife attack at school in Poland
The Poland school stabbing in Ostroleka left nine people wounded on Wednesday morning. A 19-year-old student attacked fellow pupils, teachers and passersby with a sharp object at a vocational school in the town, about 120 kilometres north-east of Warsaw, before fleeing the scene. Police arrested him a short distance away.
What happened at the school
The attack took place at about 11am local time at the Vocational School Complex No. 4 in Ostroleka, according to police. Nine people were hurt: five students, two teachers and two passersby, regional governor Mariusz Frankowski said.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, but one person was seriously wounded and some victims were flown to hospital by helicopter. Students barricaded themselves inside classrooms before they were evacuated.
Police later found a suspicious backpack inside the school and began investigating its contents. A spokesman for the local firefighters confirmed the find to Polish television.
The suspect
Authorities identified the suspect only as Jakub Z., in line with Polish privacy law. He fled after the attack and was arrested on a riverbank less than a kilometre from the school. Police said he was wounded at the time of his arrest in what prosecutors described as “self-mutilation”. He was taken to hospital.
Police in the Mazovia province, which covers both Ostroleka and Warsaw, shared a photograph on social media showing an officer restraining a person face down with their hands tied behind their back, the face and hands blurred.
The suspect had previously come to police attention over the possession of a small amount of narcotics. Authorities gave no information about a motive or about the weapon used.
The response
Ostroleka mayor Pawel Niewiadomski wrote on social media two hours after the attack that the situation had been brought under control, but the school would stay closed while investigators worked. He said children and others affected would receive psychological support, and asked all schools in the region to bar unknown people from entering their premises.
Attacks like this are rare in Poland
School attacks are not common in Poland. Last month, a stabbing at a Catholic convent in the south-east of the country left one person dead and four others wounded, and police detained a suspect.
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FAQs
How many people were hurt in the Ostroleka school attack?
Nine people were wounded: five students, two teachers and two passersby. None of the injuries were life-threatening, though one victim was seriously hurt.
Who is the suspect in the Poland school stabbing?
A 19-year-old student of the school, identified only as Jakub Z. under Polish privacy law. He fled the scene and was arrested on a riverbank less than a kilometre away.
Is there a motive for the attack?
No. Authorities have not provided any information about the suspected motive or details about the weapon used.
