A tragic knife attack at a French high school killed a girl and three other students were seriously injured.
The incident occurred at the private Notre Dame Auxiliary Adis High School in the Darren-sur-Nante region of France. According to local reports, a 15-year-old student launched an attack around noon on Thursday, April 24.
The attacker’s identity has not been published publicly, and it was reportedly entered a classroom on the second floor of the school and stabbed a student before moving downstairs to attack at least three.
One of the victims was identified as a girl by French media BFM and died of her injuries. Three other people were injured, two reportedly in serious condition and are currently undergoing medical treatment.
The teacher quickly intervened and restricted the attacker before the police arrived and arrested him. Authorities confirmed the boy was a student at the school and had no previous police records. There is currently no sign of horror motives.
French police secured the area as investigators conducted a comprehensive investigation. Images at the scene show enforcement around the school while anxious parents gather outside. For safety reasons, students were evacuated to the school’s multi-functional space.
According to French media RTL, disputes among students may have triggered violence.
French school knife attack: A 15-year-old student was killed in the Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides in Nantes, France today in the Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides in Nantes, France, and three other students were injured. The suspect was identified as 15-year-old Justin P. pic.twitter.com/pcs60ly7jt
– Crown Intelligence Group (@CrownIntelGroup) April 24, 2025
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and fear. “We were shocked. We only saw this on TV. We thought it might not happen in our high school,” one student told Ouest France.
Another student recalled going out for lunch after taking the exam in the morning. “That was just another day,” said the teenager in tears.
“I was in the foyer and saw a lot of people walking through the courtyard. I heard that someone had a knife. We didn’t know if we should believe it,” said a third student. “We then saw someone holding the door from the school gate and shouting at us.”
As the investigation continues, the school is still under police supervision.
