One student dead and at least three injured in knife attack at French secondary school

By Josef Al Shemary

A student has been killed and three others have been injured in a knife attack at a French secondary school.

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Police in western France say a student's been killed in a knife attack at a secondary school in Nantes.

Three other pupils have been injured and treated for their injuries.

The attacker has been reported to be a 15-year-old boy, a second-year student at the school.

The high school student entered the Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides private school armed with a knife at around midday local time, according to local media.

According to Europe1, the boy went up to the second floor of the school, and stabbed a female student after an argument.

He then descended to the first floor and stabbed three more students, according to the outlet.

He was overpowered by teachers before the authorities arrived, a police spokesperson said.

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Officers say there's nothing to suggest a terrorist motive, and the attacker is unknown to the police and security services.

However, broadcaster BFM said the attacker had sent a document around to all staff and students at the school via his school email address.

It said the document 'paints a very dark portrait of society'.

He was dressed in all black, and was wearing a helmet and a balaclava.

Worried parents started arriving at the school as pupils were evacuated.

One student told Ouest France: "We left our classroom at 1pm and saw a lot of students crying. We didn't understand why. We're very shocked."

Another student said: "We only see this on television. We didn't think it could happen in our school."

"We still haven't realized what happened; it's shocking," said another.

According to local media, two knives were found on the scene, as well as his school belongings.

Police and members of the French military were seen attending the scene near the school, as the Rue des Épinettes has been closed to all traffic.

The Nantes judicial court is set to hold a press conference at 7pm local time to provide an update on the legal proceedings in this case.