The suspect in the French school attack was described as a lone person, and he admired Hitler
The 16-year-old was accused of stabbing a classmate in a high school in western France and killing a student who knew he was a lonely man who admired Adolf Hitler, a prosecutor said Friday.
The knife attack was held Thursday at a private Catholic school in Nantes. A 16-year-old girl was killed by a suspect, and two other 15- and 16-year-old students were injured.
Nantes Attorney Antoine Leroy said the teenager had no reason to act after being arrested on Thursday and had been temporarily admitted to a psychiatric ward.
He said the attackers attended class as usual that morning, then armed themselves with hunting knives and wore masks in the school bathroom around noon.
He then entered a classroom and stabbed the girl fatally – said to be the only companion he had with him – 57 times. He then continued to randomly attack other students in a separate classroom.
The rampage was stopped by an IT technician, and the school entered the room, attacked the attacker with a chair, and then drove him to the bay until police arrived.
Leroy said the teenager had no contact with law enforcement.
However, his mother sought help earlier this year to increase social distancing and attended six meetings at the counseling center.
School officials also expressed concerns about his admiration for Hitler, prompting a meeting with school management and mother earlier this month.
On Friday, students and public members laid flowers outside the school in a tribute to the murdered girl.
