French education minister Élisabeth Borne and interior minister Bruno Retailleau were seen shortly after the incident, reflecting the state’s alarm over knife attacks in schools. Recent events have escalated fears, especially following the fatal stabbing of a teacher in St.-Jean-de-Luz in early 2023. Eyewitnesses note that the attacker sent a troubling manifesto prior to the assault, criticizing "systemic violence" and "social alienation" in society. The violence broke out at the private Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides High School, where the assailant was described as wearing dark clothing, including a helmet and a balaclava. Law enforcement later discovered two knives, one being a hunting knife, among his belongings as they secured the area.
Teenager Launches Stabbing Spree at French High School, One Killed
Teenager Launches Stabbing Spree at French High School, One Killed
A tragic knife attack at a school in Nantes has left one student dead and three others injured amid rising concerns over school safety in France.
On April 24, 2025, a 15-year-old student at a high school in Nantes, France, went on a stabbing spree during lunch, targeting fellow students and resulting in one death and several injuries. The police have not disclosed the identity of the attacker yet, although reports suggest the deceased was a female student. Preliminary investigations indicate that there was no immediate link to terrorism; however, the antiterrorism prosecutor's office is currently reviewing the incident.
