Poland school attack injures eight

09-Oct-2026

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A 19-year-old student at a vocational school in northern Poland attacked fellow students, teachers and passersby with a sharp object on October 7, injuring eight people before fleeing and being arrested nearby, authorities said.

Police said the attack took place at around 11 am local time at Vocational School Complex No. 4 in Ostroleka, about 120 kilometres northeast of Warsaw. Authorities did not give any information on a possible motive or details of the weapon used.

Elzbieta Edyta Lukasiewicz, a spokesperson for prosecutors, told Polish news agency PAP that four students, two teachers and two passersby were injured. None of the injuries was life-threatening, though one person was seriously wounded. Some of the injured were flown by helicopter to hospital, she said.

Authorities identified the suspect only as Jakub Z., in line with Polish privacy laws. Police said he was arrested on a riverbank less than 1 kilometre from the school after he fled the scene. Prosecutors said he was wounded at the time of his arrest as a result of "self-mutilation". He was taken to hospital.