Seven-year-old girl killed and several injured in Croatia school knife attack

A seven-year-old girl has died and a teacher and five other students wounded in a knife attack at a school in the Croatian capital, officials have said.

The incident took place at a primary school in Zagreb, according to state news agency Hina.

Police said the attack happened just before 10am on Friday in the Precko neighbourhood.

They described the attacker as a “young male” and said he had been detained.

Emergency crews including paramedics and an air ambulance rushed to Precko Elementary School as authorities were alerted to the incident.

State braodcaster HRT said the attacker entered the school and went straight into the first classroom he found and attacked the children.

Video footage published by Croatian media showed children running away from the school building.

Croatian media reports described the school as being “under siege” with students and staff left “in shock” and in tears.

At least one child died from their injuries, reported Dnevnik.hr, with a total of eight people injured including the attacker.

Health minister Irena Hristic also confirmed the fatality.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said at the start of today’s government session he was “appalled” by the attack and authorities were working to determine exactly what happened.

“We also express our regret and sympathy to the families of the injured children at the Precko Elementary School,” he said.

The wounded were taken to hospitals across the capital for treatment, he added.

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