A horrific knife attack at a private high school in western France has left one student dead and three others seriously injured.

The violence erupted just after midday on Thursday, April 24, at Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides high school in the Doulon district of Nantes. A 15-year-old student is alleged to have carried out the attack, which began in a second-floor classroom and continued downstairs.

According to local media, the attacker fatally stabbed a girl and wounded three other students, two of whom remain in critical condition and are currently being treated in hospital.

Teachers acted swiftly to subdue the suspect before law enforcement arrived and took him into custody. Officials confirmed the attacker is a student at the school and has no prior criminal record. Authorities have ruled out any terrorist links at this stage.

French police secured the area while an investigation was launched. Photos from the scene showed police surrounding the school as distressed parents gathered outside. Students were safely evacuated to a designated area within the school.

Initial reports suggest that a dispute between students may have triggered the attack, though this has yet to be confirmed.

Eyewitness accounts painted a picture of chaos and fear.

“We’re all in shock. You see this on TV, but you never think it’ll happen at your own school,” one student told Ouest France. Another recalled stepping out for lunch after finishing morning exams: “It felt like just another day.”

“I was in the foyer when I saw people running. Then someone yelled that there was a knife. We didn’t know what to think,” said a third student. “Then we saw a staff member holding the door and shouting at us to get out.”

The school remains under police supervision as authorities continue their investigation into the tragic incident.