NANTES, FRANCE — A tragic act of violence struck a private high school in western France on Thursday when a student launched a knife attack during the lunch break, fatally stabbing a fellow classmate and injuring three others, authorities confirmed.
The incident occurred at Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides, a Catholic high school located in the coastal city of Nantes. According to a national police official, the suspect, a student at the school, used a knife to attack four students before being restrained by faculty members and taken into police custody.
Emergency services quickly secured the scene, while images from local media showed armed police and military personnel surrounding the school grounds as the investigation commenced.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, though several students reported receiving an unsettling email from the assailant earlier in the day expressing vague grievances. These claims are currently being investigated by authorities.
French Education Minister Élisabeth Borne announced via social media platform X that she would be traveling to Nantes alongside Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to express solidarity with the victims and the broader school community.
“This is a time for unity and support,” Borne wrote, adding that her thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the school staff.
The school, which shares its campus with a primary and middle school, has not issued a public statement detailing the events. An official from the institution stated only that their immediate focus is on providing psychological support and care to students who were present at the time.
The regional prosecutor has scheduled a press briefing for later Thursday to provide further details as the investigation unfolds.
Violent attacks of this nature are rare in French educational institutions, and Thursday’s incident has sent shockwaves through the community.
