In a tragedy that has shocked the comminuty, a 14-year-old student at a high school in Jérez de la Frontera, a town in southern Spain, was apprehended after wielding a knife, resulting in injuries to three teachers and two fellow students.
The distressing incident happened at 8:25am last Thursday, prompting a swift response from the National Police after receiving an urgent call reporting an armed individual targeting people within the school premises.
According to a classmate who witnessed the ordeal, the assailant entered the classroom visibly agitated, taking out knives from his backpack before launching the attacks. The weapons in question were identified as two kitchen knives.
The victims sustained injuries of varying degrees of severity, with one teacher facing a critical surgery due to an eye injury. Another student, who suffered minor wounds, has been discharged from the hospital.
Accounts from witnesses claim that the attacker approached one of his classmates from behind, brandishing both knives while uttering threats. A panicked response from the rest of the class led to a biology teacher present at the time attempting to intervene, pleading with the assailant to stop and put down the knives. Unfortunately, she then fell victim to an attack, resulting in the eye injury.
Subsequently, the attacker left the classroom, proceeding to another room. Reports suggest that a teacher and several students managed to subdue him. Additional information from the EFE news agency, given by a student at the school, reveals that the attacker was not known to exhibit problematic behaviour but often kept to himself, leading some to speculate about possible mental health issues.
Classmates of the attacker have since come forward, suggesting he may suffer from Asperger’s syndrome and that he may have been subjected to bullying. Incidents of laughter and water being thrown at him in the schoolyard have been cited as potential factors contributing to his distress.
In the aftermath of the incident, all students were safely evacuated from the school premises, while police authorities began their investigation into the incident. This harrowing event serves as a grim reminder of the importance of fostering a safe and supportive environment within educational institutions.