Polish police. Photo: FotoDax / Shutterstock.com Polish police say they detained a 17-year-old student who had allegedly told classmates he planned to “do something bad at school,” just hours after a separate attack at a school in the country left a 37-year-old employee dead.
In a third incident, a 19-year-old was detained near the municipal beach after allegedly attacking people with a sharp tool near and on school premises.
According to the Mazowiecka Police, a teacher in Sierpc alerted police after receiving disturbing information from students. The students had reportedly said that a 17-year-old from their school was talking about carrying out an attack on Wednesday, October 7.
Officers from the Criminal Division of the County Police Headquarters in Sierpc responded immediately. Early Wednesday morning, they entered the teenager’s apartment and detained him.
During a search of the apartment, police found and secured two knives belonging to the teenager. Investigators also seized his mobile phone and found searches for information related to the alleged planned attack.
The teenager remains in police custody while officers carry out further investigative procedures, including interviewing witnesses.
The detention came as police were also dealing with separate violence at a school in the Mazowieckie region.
In Leszczydół-Nowiny, in Wyszków County, a 15-year-old reportedly entered a school at around 9 a.m. and injured three members of staff with a sharp object. Police said the school's director was among those injured and managed to subdue the teenager.
Police officers arrived at the school within minutes of receiving the report and detained the 15-year-old.
Despite resuscitation efforts, a 37-year-old school employee died from the attack, according to a later update from Mazowiecka Police.
A separate incident was also reported in Ostrołęka on October 7. Police detained a 19-year-old man suspected of attacking people with a sharp object near and on the premises of a school.
Preliminary information indicated that as many as seven people may have been injured, although police said officers were still establishing what happened.
The incidents have prompted renewed attention to safety around schools in the region. In its updates, Polish police have also reminded the public about how to respond during an attack in a public place, including remaining calm, avoiding provoking an attacker and prioritising the safety of children.