Knifeman wounds two girls outside French school in fresh violence wave
Another dangerous incident has occurred in France. The local police have detained a knife attacker who wounded two young girls, aged six and eleven, near a school. Thankfully, the injuries sustained by the students were minor.
19 April 2024 15:21
The knife attack unfolded in eastern France, directly in front of a school in Souffelweyersheim, on the outskirts of Strasbourg.
The assailant first targeted the eleven-year-old girl and then proceeded to attack the six-year-old nearby. Fortunately, both girls suffered only superficial wounds and are currently receiving medical treatment in hospital. The 29-year-old man apprehended close to the attack scene offered no resistance during his arrest. Despite the search, no knife was found on him.
Following the attack, students were kept inside the school as a precaution. Parents could collect their children after the alarm was called off in the late afternoon.
The local authorities have stated that the suspect had no previous connections with extremist groups and was not on security services' radar. As of now, there's no evidence linking him to the school.
France has recently been rocked by a spate of student-on-student violence, highlighted by the tragic murder of 15-year-old Shemseddine outside Paris earlier this month and the assault of a teenager in Montpellier, who was left comatose.
The Strasbourg knife attack occurred after Thursday's declaration by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal outlining plans to address the surge of violence in schools.
"You break something -- you repair it. You make a mess -- you clear it up. And if you disobey -- we teach you respect,” stated the Prime Minister of France, announcing reforms.
The government intends to take action by extending the schooling hours for junior high students to cover the entire week, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
