Teacher killed and five injured in knife attack at school in Slovakia

A man with a knife attacked a school in Slovakia on Thursday, killing one person and wounding at least five before he was killed by police, authorities said.

The attack took place at the United School in the town of Vrutky in northwestern Slovakia on Thursday morning. The establishment operates for children from elementary age up to high school. The dead victim was the deputy director of the high school, authorities said.

The attacker was identified as a 22-year-old man from the nearby town of Martin, a former student at the school, police said.

The Slovak rescue service said three adults and two students were treated in a hospital in Martin but didn’t immediately reveal more details.

Slovak President Zuzana Caputova said she felt great sorrow and offered her condolences to the relatives of the victims and support for those who were wounded, teachers, and police.

“Unfortunately, there are crazy people living among us and we’re not able to prevent such a situation,” Prime Minister Igor Matovic said.