emergencies
Eight-year-old seriously injured in school knife attack
Ambulances are in the schoolyard of a primary and secondary school in Bischofswerda. photo
© Sebastian Kahnert/dpa
Amok alarm was triggered in a school in Bischofswerda on Wednesday. A teenager seriously injured an eight-year-old boy with a knife. He was arrested by the police.
A youth armed with a knife on Wednesday morning in a school in East Saxony Bischofswerda seriously injured an eight-year-old boy. The attacker – a 16-year-old – set himself on fire after the crime, the police said. The flames were extinguished and he was arrested.
The situation is under control. According to the police, an amok alarm had previously been triggered. The background to the attack initially remained unclear. Classmates and teachers were present during the crime. The victim and the arrested person are Germans.
The police were on site in large numbers in the morning. Police received the call around 9:45 a.m. A police spokesman said that all available forces, including a dog unit, had arrived. The school building was cleared. The students were taken to safety. A crisis intervention team looked after the children and young people. In the morning, the police gave the all-clear that the situation was under control.
Two rescue helicopters in action
The injured child was taken to the hospital. The attacker also needed medical attention. Two rescue helicopters were deployed, said the police spokesman. The boy’s condition is stable. According to dpa information, the third grader was injured in the head and neck. It was initially unclear whether the 16-year-old attacked the boy in a targeted manner. This is the subject of the investigation, it said. According to current information, there are no other injuries.
According to a spokesman, the Saxon Ministry of Culture organized help. “Our job is to look after the students on site and to offer support – including psychological support.” It had to be clarified whether classes could take place on Thursday.
The school complex houses a primary school and a high school. According to police, the school was prepared for a rampage like this one. All classrooms were initially locked. “One assumes the worst,” said the police spokesman. The small town of Bischofswerda is located east of Dresden in the district of Bautzen.