In a shocking incident that has sent shockwaves through South-West Germany, a 15-year-old boy fatally shot his classmate in the head at a school in Offenburg, succumbing to serious injuries later in the hospital. The German police, reporting on Thursday, disclosed that the suspected student had been apprehended, shedding light on a disturbing episode that unfolded within the walls of an educational institution.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the motive behind this tragic attack stems from a personal dispute. The young assailant entered a classroom with intent, deliberately approaching a same-aged classmate and firing at least one shot with a handgun. Despite the prompt arrival of rescuers after receiving notification of the incident shortly after noon, the victim, who sustained severe injuries, could not be saved.

The swift action of a bystander reportedly subdued the gunman before the arrival of the first police officers. A substantial force of approximately 300 officers eventually reached the scene. The local prosecutor’s office has announced that the suspect will face an investigating judge for a manslaughter arrest warrant.

The school, which caters to children with learning disabilities, has been temporarily closed. Initially, around 180 students were confined to classrooms for security reasons, later being evacuated from the premises. Psychologists were deployed to provide support to the traumatized students before they were reunited with their parents.

This heartbreaking incident follows another concerning event in Hamburg, where police intervened at a school the previous day due to reports of armed youths threatening a teacher. Five boys, aged 11 to 14, were detained, and three toy guns were confiscated.

Regrettably, this tragedy adds to the tally of school-related incidents in Germany this year. In August, an eight-year-old boy was seriously injured by a knife-wielding youth in Bischofswerda, and a 13-year-old was stabbed by a classmate in Harsewinkel. The nation, still haunted by the notorious school shooting in March 2009 in Winnenden, West Germany, where a 17-year-old student shot and killed 15 people before taking his own life, now grapples with the harsh reality of yet another school-related violence.

Article by Prague Forum