Two girls seriously injured in school attack in Bavarian town of Schongau
A 16-year-old suspect is in custody after two 13-year-old girls were seriously injured in an attack at Welfen-Gymnasium school in Schongau, Upper Bavaria. Police say the suspect carried a knife and a firearm and acted alone.
What happened
Shortly before 1 pm on Wednesday, emergency services were alerted to an attack at Welfen-Gymnasium, a secondary school in Schongau, a town of about 12,000 people on the banks of the Lech river in Upper Bavaria, roughly 90 minutes southwest of Munich. Police arrived and secured the school grounds, which are attended by around 800 students. A 16-year-old male was arrested at the scene. Authorities urged residents to avoid the area while the operation was underway.
It is unclear what weapon was used in the attack. We cannot confirm reports of a knife attack at this stage.
The victims
Two 13-year-old girls were seriously injured and taken to hospital. Police said their injuries are not life-threatening, and by Wednesday afternoon they were out of immediate danger. At least four people in total were hurt, according to local media, though officials are still working to determine the exact number of injured and the severity of their wounds. Some victims suffered stab wounds, local reports said. Six helicopters were dispatched to transport the wounded to nearby medical facilities.
According to initial findings, the injured girls are students of the school.
The suspect
The arrested 16-year-old was found carrying both a knife and a firearm. Police believe he acted alone. His identity has not been released, and it is not yet known whether he was a student at the school. The motive for the attack remains under investigation.
The suspect was carrying a knife as well as a firearm, and we believe they acted alone.
Investigation and response
Police have described the incident as a "rampage" and said much points to an amok situation. A contact point for relatives and parents was set up at a fire station in Schongau. The school, founded in 1887, was originally almost exclusively a girls' school but has been coeducational for the past 40 years. The town is shaken, and authorities are working to clarify the full circumstances of the attack.
The force believe the incident to be a 'rampage'.
Much points to a rampage situation.
Context
Germany has experienced several violent incidents in schools and public spaces in recent years. The most recent school attack occurred in September 2025, when a 17-year-old seriously injured a teacher at a vocational school in Essen. Wednesday's events in Schongau add to that troubling pattern.
