Leszczydol-Nowiny, Poland: A 15-year-old former pupil killed one employee and injured two others at a Polish primary school on Thursday while wearing a helmet-mounted camera, in the second school knife attack in the country in two days, authorities said.
The attack took place at around 9 am local time at a primary school in Leszczydol-Nowiny, northeast of Warsaw. A 37-year-old woman who worked as a caretaker died in the attack, officials said. It is not clear whether the attack was actually filmed.
The teenager, who was carrying three knives, was restrained by the school's head teacher, Krzysztof Ochmanski, who was himself injured in the struggle. "He wounded me with the blade of a rather long knife - he had three knives on him - and hit me with the handle," Ochmanski told public broadcaster Polskie Radio. "By then, I had managed to restrain him."
A grim pattern
On Wednesday, a 19-year-old wounded 10 people, including himself, at another school in Ostroleka in northeastern Poland. Police also detained a 17-year-old in Sierpc in north-central Poland on suspicion of planning an attack. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the detained teenager had mentioned plans to do "something dangerous" on school grounds, and that data recovered from his electronic devices revealed online searches about how to orchestrate such a violent event. Police found two knives in his possession.
"We fear a grim copycat phenomenon," Prime Minister Donald Tusk told an emergency meeting on Thursday. "We are facing an extraordinary situation... for the first time, we are dealing with a killer who wore a helmet-mounted camera, intending to film the knife attack."
Tusk ordered police to visit schools daily in an effort to prevent further violence and praised the heroism of the two teachers who were injured trying to stop the attacker.
Possible internet-challenge link under investigation
A police spokesperson said authorities had information that the incidents could be related to an internet challenge, and that this line of inquiry was being investigated. The motive for Thursday's attack remains unclear.
The attacker is a minor, and officials have not released his name. The deceased woman has been identified only by her age and role as a caretaker.
Sources:
Reuters (via GMA News): Poland's second school knife attack in two days kills one, raises copycat fears
SCMP: 1 dead in Poland's second school knife attack in 2 days, amid 'copycat' fears
Fox News: Teen wearing helmet camera kills worker at Polish school amid fears of copycat attacks
The attack took place at around 9 am local time at a primary school in Leszczydol-Nowiny, northeast of Warsaw. A 37-year-old woman who worked as a caretaker died in the attack, officials said. It is not clear whether the attack was actually filmed.
The teenager, who was carrying three knives, was restrained by the school's head teacher, Krzysztof Ochmanski, who was himself injured in the struggle. "He wounded me with the blade of a rather long knife - he had three knives on him - and hit me with the handle," Ochmanski told public broadcaster Polskie Radio. "By then, I had managed to restrain him."
A grim pattern
On Wednesday, a 19-year-old wounded 10 people, including himself, at another school in Ostroleka in northeastern Poland. Police also detained a 17-year-old in Sierpc in north-central Poland on suspicion of planning an attack. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the detained teenager had mentioned plans to do "something dangerous" on school grounds, and that data recovered from his electronic devices revealed online searches about how to orchestrate such a violent event. Police found two knives in his possession.
"We fear a grim copycat phenomenon," Prime Minister Donald Tusk told an emergency meeting on Thursday. "We are facing an extraordinary situation... for the first time, we are dealing with a killer who wore a helmet-mounted camera, intending to film the knife attack."
Tusk ordered police to visit schools daily in an effort to prevent further violence and praised the heroism of the two teachers who were injured trying to stop the attacker.
Possible internet-challenge link under investigation
A police spokesperson said authorities had information that the incidents could be related to an internet challenge, and that this line of inquiry was being investigated. The motive for Thursday's attack remains unclear.
The attacker is a minor, and officials have not released his name. The deceased woman has been identified only by her age and role as a caretaker.
Sources:
Reuters (via GMA News): Poland's second school knife attack in two days kills one, raises copycat fears
SCMP: 1 dead in Poland's second school knife attack in 2 days, amid 'copycat' fears
Fox News: Teen wearing helmet camera kills worker at Polish school amid fears of copycat attacks
