Second School Knife Attack in Poland Leaves One Dead as Prime Minister Warns of 'Copycat Phenomenon'

On Thursday at approximately 9am local time, a 15-year-old former student fatally attacked a caretaker and injured two other staff members at a primary school in Leszczydol-Nowiny, located northeast of Warsaw, according to Polish authorities. The deceased was a 37-year-old woman. This incident marked the second school stabbing within 48 hours, potentially linked to an online challenge, officials indicated. The day before, a 19-year-old assaulted 10 individuals, including himself, at a school in Ostroleka, northeastern Poland. Additionally, a 17-year-old was apprehended in Sierpc, north-central Poland, on suspicion of planning an attack. In light of the violence, Prime Minister Donald Tusk held an emergency meeting, expressing concerns about a "grim copycat phenomenon." He noted the unusual aspect of the assailant wearing a helmet-mounted camera. It remains uncertain if the attack was recorded.