On Thursday (April 24th), a 15-year-old boy in the western French city of Nantes attacked his classmates with a knife at a high school, resulting in the death of one student and injuries to three others. The assailant was subdued by teachers at the Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides Catholic private school before law enforcement arrived.
According to BFM TV, the deceased student was a girl, while the three injured students were boys. The police spokesperson stated that there are no indications of terrorist motives behind the attack.
After the incident, students were kept inside the school until they were allowed to leave under police protection in the afternoon.
Classmates of the assailant revealed to reporters that he had expressed sympathy towards Nazis, saying, “He talked about Nazi ideology and wanted to revive Hitler’s Nazi thoughts.” The classmate also mentioned that shortly before the attack, the assailant had sent a lengthy email to the entire school.
French media released excerpts from the email, which touched on environmentalism and anti-globalization, but did not mention any potential for violence.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau in Nantes told reporters that “a general atmosphere of laxity, lack of order, and hierarchy has led to such violent acts.”
Nantes Mayor and Socialist Party member Johanna Rolland stated that it is too early to draw political conclusions, emphasizing the need to address mental health issues among young people in the country.
The Nantes prosecutor’s office will hold a press conference on Friday regarding the attack.
(Following information referenced from Reuters)