Student dead in France school stabbing spree

A student has died in a French high school after another student allegedly stabbed several classmates in horror scenes.

A Police car arrives to the high school Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides following the killing of one student and the wounding of three others by a student in a knife attack, in Nantes, western France, on April 24, 2025. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP)

One student has died in a French high school after another student reportedly went on a stabbing spree.

The incident occurred in the city of Nantes, in the Pays de la Loire region of western France, on Thursday afternoon.

It is not clear why the attack occurred.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he was in “shock and grief” at the incident. He praised the “courage” of teachers who intervened holding down the alleged killer.

French news outlet France 24 has reported that a student stabbed four others at the private Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides High School in Doulon, in the city’s east, at 12.30pm local time (9.30pm AEST).

Of the three injured, one is believed to be in a serious condition.

A Police car arrives to the high school Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides following the killing of one student and the wounding of three others by a student in a knife attack, in Nantes, western France, on April 24, 2025. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP)

French military of the Sentinelle Operation and French Police officers stand outside the high school Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides where a student killed another student. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP)

According to AFP, the student, possibly aged 15, allegedly entered two classrooms and took aim at the victims. He reportedly had two knives, including a hunting knife.

The student was subdued by teachers and then apprehended by police.

Police have said a terrorist motive is not suspected.

The school has 200 students from kindergarten to high school.

A student is comforted after the attack. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP)

Student evacuate the high school Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP)

‘Blood everywhere’

Images from Doulon show both police and military personnel on the scene.

Ludivine, 48, said she had learned that the attack had happened in her daughter’s class.

“As an anxious mother who doesn’t let her out alone, I never thought anything would happen to her at her school,” she said.

French military of the Sentinelle Operation, French Police officers and Police Municipal officers stand close to the high school Notre-Dame de Toutes-Aides where a student killed another student and wounded three others in a knife attack (Photo by LOGIC VENANCE / AFP).

Talking to French newspaper Liberation, two teenage students Ethan and Maël said they were warned by text message about the attack.

“The attacker entered a first-year classroom … then a second-year classroom.

“Our friend ran when he saw it. There was blood everywhere”.

Another student was heard telling her mother in tears: “It’s crazy. Everything happened so fast”.

AFP spoke with one student who gave her initial account of what happened. “I was in the cafeteria with my friends and we were told that a high school pupil had stabbed students in several classrooms,” she said, without giving her name.

“We were told not to leave the cafeteria for about 20 minutes and then we were confined to a gym”.

She added the assailant “was known to be depressed, he said he loved Hitler”.

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the courage of teachers who tackled the pupil. “Through their intervention, the teachers likely prevented other tragedies. Their courage demands respect,” Mr Macron wrote on X.

France has in recent years been shaken by a series of school incidents involving attacks on teachers as well as schoolchildren by their peers.

– with AFP.

Originally published as Student dead in France school stabbing spree