In a Slovak school, a student injured classmates with an airsoft gun: a child from Ukraine is among the victims
The incident at a school in the town of Nové Mesto nad Váhom in the Trenčín Region has attracted the attention not only of Slovak society, but also of parents of children studying outside their countries. The incident involving the use of air guns has demonstrated that even in a normal school environment, situations can arise that are dangerous to the health and sense of security of students, among whom, according to local media, is a child from Ukraine.
Incident on school grounds
An incident between students occurred on the territory of the St. Joseph Unified School, during which one of the students opened fire at his classmates with an airsoft gun, or, according to TV JOJ, an air gun, resulting in two children being injured. The injured were provided with medical assistance directly at the scene, and, according to law enforcement officials, their lives are not in danger.
According to SME – My Trenčin, one of the injured may be a citizen of Ukraine.
The Slovak police confirmed the fact of the use of airsoft weapons and the wounding of two students, refraining from detailed comments on the motives of the student’s actions.
“According to preliminary data, one of the students shot at classmates with airsoft weapons. Two schoolchildren were provided with medical assistance on the spot. Fortunately, their lives are not in danger,” the police reported. on Facebook.
Law enforcement officers are investigating whether the incident was intentional, while emphasizing that the investigation is ongoing.
The shooting was carried out by a 6-B grade student, who injured two 12-year-old classmates. The shots were heard by teachers, after which emergency services were immediately called. The school principal reported that the injuries were in the legs, and also noted that the boy who brought the weapon to school had had behavioral problems for a long time.
The situation after the incident and the reaction of the school, the community, and the Ministry of Education
Despite the fact that the injuries were not serious, the school administration involved all emergency services, including the police, doctors, and a psychological support center, to stabilize the situation and provide assistance to students and teachers. In the afternoon, it was quiet near the school, and parents gradually came to pick up their children, trying to find out the circumstances of the incident and calm the families.
High school students spoke about the tense atmosphere that gripped the school after the shootings. 18-year-old high school student Kristina shared her stress, noting: “I immediately ran here to get my brothers because I didn’t know what happened.”
She expressed the opinion that after this incident, the school should tighten control and check students’ bags. Local residents gathered near the school discussed how the child could bring a weapon, and one of them, Robert, remarked: “This is childish stupidity and irresponsibility of the parents.”
Slovak Education Minister Tomas Druker reacted to the incident, describing it as serious and unacceptable, stressing: “It is absolutely unacceptable for children to bring any weapons to school.” The minister noted that the school is cooperating with psychologists, and the department plans to focus on preventing such cases, paying attention to the radicalization of young people in the online space and preparing an action plan to improve safety in schools.
The information that a child from Ukraine may be among the victims highlighted the vulnerability of Ukrainian schoolchildren who, due to war or other circumstances, study outside their homeland. Even in a relatively calm educational environment, they may face dangers associated with negligence, problematic behavior of individual students, or insufficient control over what comes to school with their children.
