A 7-year-old girl is dead and several others, including her teacher, are injured following a knife attack at a school in Croatia, according to multiple outlets.
The Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic confirmed in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the incident happened at Prečko Elementary School in the country’s capital of Zagreb on Friday, Dec. 20.
“We are horrified, as is the entire Croatian public, by the great tragedy that happened this morning at Prečko Elementary School in Zagreb,” he wrote in a translation of the post. “We express our regret and sympathy to the families of all the injured, students and school staff.”
A photo of Croatian police officers conducting their investigation at the sight of a knife attack in Croatia.
Stipe Majic/Anadolu via Getty
A 19-year-old Croatian entered the school at around 9:50 a.m. and injured a teacher and students inside a classroom with a sharp object, the Zagreb Police Department shared in a statement to the Associated Press, and Croatian news outlets Jutarnji and 24sata.
Police said, per the outlets, that those who were injured in the attack received medical attention and confirmed the death of one student. They also noted that authorities detained “the attacker” and he was put under police surveillance.
Video obtained of the incident by local news showed several children running out of the school building and a medical helicopter landing on the school’s campus, per AP. The outlet, along with several other news sites described the incident as a “knife attack.”
Croatian police officers at the Precko Primary School in Zagreb, Croatia on December 20, 2024.
Stipe Majic/Anadolu via Getty
Following the incident, Croatia’s Health Minister Irena Hrstić, shared in a translated statement to Jutarnji: “We are appalled and shocked by the situation that has occurred.” She added that a total of five people were injured, including three children and two adults.
This included two boys, ages 7 and 11, who were hospitalized with several stab wounds to their bodies, but were stabilized, acting director of the Clinic for Children’s Diseases Iva Hojsak, shared to the media, per Jutarnji and 24sata.
“Fortunately, both are out of danger at this time. Their diagnostic process is still ongoing,” she added.
A photo of police outside the school in Zagreb, Croatia.
Stipe Majic/Anadolu via Getty
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Hrstić also noted, per Jutarnji, that the alleged perpetrator and the children’s teacher were admitted to a local hospital after the attack.
Plenkovic said in a translated statement on X, that the injured were taken to Zagreb Hospital, Sestre Milosrdnica Hospital, Sveti Duh Hospital and Klaić Hospital to receive care.
“Minister Hrstić will visit hospitals and see what the situation is with the injured. As soon as we have more information, the public will be notified,” he added.
Plenkovic also noted that police and other authorities were still working to “determine all the circumstances” behind the incident.