13-Year-Old Student Kills Teacher, Injures Two in Slovakia School Attack

A 13-year-old student has been detained after a knife attack at a school in northwestern Slovakia left a 61-year-old teacher dead and two others injured on Tuesday.

The attack happened in the village of Staškov, near the Czech border, during morning classes. Police said the situation was brought under control and there was no immediate threat to others.

Emergency officials said a 44-year-old woman suffered a stab wound to the chest and was taken to hospital, while an injured schoolgirl was transported by helicopter in critical condition. The 61-year-old woman died from her injuries.

Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok said the student was being investigated for premeditated murder. Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the attack, while Education Minister Tomáš Drucker declined to say whether bullying was involved.

Police and emergency services responded to the school after the incident, while the Education Ministry said it was providing professional and psychological support to students, staff and parents affected by the attack.

President Peter Pellegrini described the incident as deeply troubling and called for a calmer atmosphere in society, while Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed condolences to the victims and their families.

The attack comes after previous cases of school violence in Slovakia. In January 2025, an 18-year-old student killed a fellow pupil and a teacher and wounded another pupil at a secondary school in Spišská Stará Ves.

A separate school attack in 2020 also left a teacher dead and several people injured, highlighting the continuing concern over violence in Slovak schools.