School employee killed in Poland’s second school attack in 2 days

A school employee was killed, and two others were injured in a violent knife assault at a primary school in Poland on Thursday, a day after a machete attack at another school left nine people injured, local media reported.

A 15-year-old former pupil entered John Paul II Primary School in Leszczydol-Nowiny, near Wyszkow, northeast of Warsaw, and attacked three people, including the school’s principal, police spokeswoman Katarzyna Kucharska said, according to TVP World.

The principal reportedly overpowered the suspect before police detained him. Polish media identified the other victims as a teacher and a janitor.

“Despite resuscitation, it was not possible to save the life of a 37-year-old school employee,” police said.

The attack followed Wednesday’s incident at a vocational school in Ostroleka, where a 19-year-old student wielding a machete injured five students, two teachers and two bystanders.

The suspect was also injured. Students barricaded themselves inside classrooms before police detained him about 20 minutes later.

Prosecutors said he was carrying a homemade explosive device in his backpack. His motive remained unclear.

Poland’s national police headquarters announced increased patrols and preventive checks around primary and secondary schools, with officers instructed to watch for people who could pose a threat to students or staff.

Police also disclosed the detention of a 17-year-old in Sierpc after classmates reported his threats to attack his school.

Officers found two knives and seized his mobile phone, which police said contained searches related to a planned attack.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski credited cooperation between teachers and police for the intervention.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an emergency meeting of ministers in response to the attacks, a government spokesperson announced on US social media platform X.