Authorities in northwestern Slovakia are investigating a fatal school stabbing that left one teacher dead and two others seriously injured. The attack occurred on Tuesday in the village of Staskov, located near the Czech border.
A 13-year-old male student is suspected of carrying out the assault. According to emergency service spokesperson Petra Klimesova, the attacker wounded a 44-year-old female teacher and a schoolgirl. Health Minister Kamil Sasko reported that the student is in serious, critical condition, while Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok confirmed that the second teacher, who was stabbed in the chest, is not in danger.
Police arrested the suspect and are treating the incident as premeditated murder. The Office for Combating Organised Crime (UBOK) has taken over the investigation. Law enforcement stated that the situation in Staskov, which has a population of approximately 2,750, is now under control.
Interior Minister Sutaj Estok commended the head teacher present during the attack for adhering strictly to emergency protocols. “She followed every single procedure outlined in the available manuals to the letter and prevented the tragedy from becoming even worse,” he said at a news conference.
No motive has been established. However, political leaders responded swiftly to the violence. Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed his sincere condolences, stating he was following the incident with great concern and was personally saddened by the event.
President Peter Pellegrini described himself as “shocked” by what he called yet another case of a student attacking teachers and classmates. He linked the violence to broader societal issues, noting that aggression and intolerance—fueled significantly by social media and some politicians—are poisoning the public sphere and influencing youth behavior. He urged citizens to work toward calming the atmosphere rather than further radicalizing it.
This incident marks the latest in a series of school attacks in Slovakia. In 2022, a high school student injured a female pupil in Novaky. Two years prior, a 22-year-old former student attacked a school in Vrutky, killing a deputy principal and wounding five people. In 2023, an 18-year-old student fatally stabbed a 51-year-old deputy principal and another student at a high school in northern Slovakia.
Wait, the attacker is in critical condition too? I hope he faces justice despite his age. A teacher’s life was lost.
This is the fourth attack in four years. Something is deeply wrong in Slovakian society. Enough is enough.
The headteacher’s quick action saved lives. She followed protocols perfectly under terrifying circumstances. Thank goodness for her.
President Pellegrini’s point about social media is crucial. We can’t ignore how online radicalization fuels this.
Heartbreaking. How does a 13-year-old do this? The schools need better mental health support immediately.