Poland’s Third School Knife Attack Hits Warsaw, Wounding Three Students

Sat Oct 10 2026 16:49:08 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Three students wounded when a 21‑year‑old woman attacked a school in Warsaw. Authorities investigate links to online challenges and step up security nationwide.

In Warsaw, a 21‑year‑old woman used a dangerous object to stab a 17‑year‑old girl and two other women, leaving three injured but not life‑threatened. This comes amid Poland’s third knife attack in a week, following stabbings at a vocational school and a primary school that killed a caretaker. Police say the attacker was a student who did not know the victims, and they are investigating whether the incidents are linked to an internet challenge. The government has deployed police to schools across the country, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk calling for zero compromise on children’s safety.

In the capital Warsaw, a 21‑year‑old woman used a "dangerous object" to stab a 17‑year‑old girl and two other women at a school, leaving three students wounded but not in life‑threatening condition. Police arrested the attacker and are investigating whether the incident is connected to an online challenge that has spurred similar attacks this week.

The incident follows two earlier stabbings in Poland: a 19‑year‑old attacked nine people at a vocational school in Mazovian, and a 15‑year‑old stabbed a 37‑year‑old caretaker to death at a primary school in Leszczydół‑Nowiny. After these events, thousands of police officers were sent to schools nationwide.

The Warsaw police spokesperson said they could not confirm any direct link between the attacks. However, local media and an Interior Minister’s statement suggested that some incidents could be tied to a viral online challenge. A 17‑year‑old was detained in Sierpc after claiming intent to cause danger on school premises.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed that "there is no room for compromise" in protecting children and maintaining school peace, underscoring the government's commitment to tightening security across schools amid the knife‑crime wave.