Croatia: Seven-year-old girl dead, several others wounded in stabbing incident at elementary school

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A knife attack at an elementary school in Zagreb, Croatia, has resulted in the death of a seven-year-old girl and left eight others injured, including a teacher who is now in critical condition, CNN reported. The attacker, a 19-year-old believed to be a former student of Precko Elementary School, entered a first-grade classroom early Friday morning and began his assault with a knife.

The attack left a teacher with life-threatening injuries, and the injured students are being treated in hospitals across the city. Authorities confirmed that the teacher's condition remains critical. "The attacker is under police custody. The injured persons are receiving medical treatment," Zagreb police said, as per CNN.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes as emergency services arrived at the school. Helicopters were used to transport the wounded to various hospitals. Among the five injured students, three are said to have sustained non-critical injuries. Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic praised the quick response from police, who subdued the attacker just 10 minutes after the assault began, reported CNN.

The attacker's mother spoke to Croatian media, revealing that her son had been emotionally unstable for years and had been admitted to a psychiatric ward multiple times. "I begged the doctor not to discharge him because he is not fit to be out," she said. The attacker, who reportedly lived near the school, had graduated from it five years prior.

The Croatian government has expressed its horror over the incident. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic condemned the tragedy, calling the nation "appalled" by the attack. He also announced a national day of mourning for the victims. Meanwhile, Health Minister Irena Hristic is set to visit the hospitals where the injured are being treated, CNN reported.

School attacks are rare in Croatia and the broader Balkan region, but the incident comes on the heels of recent tragedies in neighbouring Serbia, including two mass shootings targeting schools in Belgrade last year.

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