Knife and gun attack at gymnasium in Schongau: 16-year-old arrested
Two 13-year-old pupils at a gymnasium in Schongau, Upper Bavaria, were seriously injured. A 16-year-old with Croatian citizenship was arrested.
Two pupils seriously injured – suspect armed with knife and firearm
Two 13-year-old girls were seriously injured at a gymnasium in the Upper Bavarian town of Schongau on Wednesday. According to tagesspiegel.de, a 16-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene. According to a police spokesperson, both pupils are no longer in danger of their lives.
The two injured are pupils at the Welfen-Gymnasium in Schongau, on whose school grounds the incident occurred. One of the pupils was flown to a hospital by rescue helicopter. The manner in which the injuries were sustained was initially the subject of investigation, wrote the Upper Bavarian South police on X.
According to initial findings, the suspect was armed with both a knife and a firearm. The police spoke of indications of a rampage situation following the incident.
Possible former pupil – psychiatric history
Whether the arrested 16-year-old was also a pupil at the gymnasium initially remained unclear. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) told the German Press Agency in Munich that there were indications it could be a former pupil – however, this had not yet been confirmed.
The youth had undergone psychiatric treatment in the past, Herrmann said. He may have previously come to attention through threats – this too would now need to be carefully investigated. According to Herrmann, the 16-year-old holds Croatian citizenship and most recently lived with his parents.
A connection between the suspect and the two injured girls was also initially unclear. Herrmann said there were currently no indications of such a connection. It would now need to be investigated whether there was "any particular connection to the victims or whether these were rather people he happened to encounter". The police stated that they were investigating the motive from all angles.
No second attacker – school grounds searched
There was no further attacker according to the current state of affairs, Herrmann said. There had been rumours to that effect at times, but reliable evidence was lacking. Police were still engaged in searching the grounds in the afternoon. Whether there were injured pupils or teachers in addition to the two schoolgirls was also initially unclear.
A contact point was set up for parents and relatives of pupils. According to police, many pupils witnessed the incident firsthand. They – as well as teachers and later emergency responders – are receiving psychological support.
Söder and Herrmann respond to the incident
Minister President Markus Söder (CSU) stated after the incident: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the rampage in Schongau." He emphasised that such an act inflicted "not only visible, but also many invisible wounds". The healing of souls would take a long time. Söder thanked the police and all rescue organisations for their swift and resolute intervention.
Welfen-Gymnasium in the small town on the Lech
Schongau is a small town with more than 12,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Lech in western Upper Bavaria. The Welfen-Gymnasium is located only a few hundred metres from the old town and the Lech. According to the school website, around 800 pupils are taught there by more than 80 teachers. Police were at the scene with numerous officers and urged the public to avoid the area.
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)