Polish teen kills school caretaker in second stabbing attack in two days

A 15-year-old former pupil attacked a primary school in Leszczydol-Nowiny, northeast of Warsaw, at around 9 a.m. local time on Thursday, killing a 37-year-old caretaker and wounding two other employees. The teenager wore a helmet equipped with a camera, which officials said may have been intended to record the assault.

The incident follows a stabbing at a school in Ostroleka the previous day, in which a 19-year-old injured ten people, including himself. Police also detained a 17-year-old in Sierpc on suspicion of planning a similar attack.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed an emergency meeting, stating, "We fear a grim copycat phenomenon. We are facing an extraordinary situation... for the first time, we are dealing with a killer who wore a helmet-mounted camera, intending to film the knife attack." He ordered daily police visits to schools to deter further violence.

A police spokesperson said investigators are examining whether the attacks are linked to an online challenge. An 18-year-old sister of a pupil described circulating rumors about such a challenge, saying she was unsure of their veracity.

Two teachers who attempted to stop the attacker were injured, and head teacher Krzysztof Ochmanski recounted being wounded by a long knife and its handle before restraining the assailant. An air ambulance transported the injured, and footage showed the suspect being handcuffed and taken away.

Inspector Katarzyna Nowak, director of communications for the national police, noted a trend of younger offenders across Europe. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said electronic data recovered from the detained 17-year-old revealed searches on how to plan a violent event, and police found two knives in his possession.