NOGENT, France (BN24) — A 31-year-old educational assistant was fatally stabbed Tuesday by a 15-year-old student during a routine bag check at a high school in northeastern France, authorities said, prompting a strong response from President Emmanuel Macron who decried a rising tide of violence in the country’s schools.
The attack occurred at a secondary school in Nogent, located in the Haute-Marne region, as students were arriving for the start of classes. According to the gendarmerie, the assistant was conducting bag inspections when she was repeatedly stabbed by the teenager. A police officer assisting with the checks was also injured, though not seriously.
The student, who had no prior criminal record, was taken into custody by authorities. Officials said the suspect was quickly subdued by responding gendarmes at the scene.
President Macron reacted to the tragedy on social media, stating, “While watching over our children in Nogent, an educational assistant lost her life — the victim of a senseless wave of violence. The nation is in mourning and the government is mobilized to reduce crime.”
The fatal stabbing has heightened national concerns about school safety. Education Minister Élisabeth Borne announced she was traveling to Nogent to meet with the school community and local law enforcement. The government has emphasized a renewed commitment to curbing violence within educational institutions.
In response to previous incidents and an increasing number of weapons found in schools, French authorities introduced bag checks at various institutions earlier this year. According to the Interior Ministry, 186 knives have been confiscated and 32 individuals detained during these inspections over the past two months.
“The threat of bladed weapons among our children has become critical,” Prime Minister François Bayrou wrote on the social media platform X following the attack. “It is up to us to make this widespread scourge a public enemy.”
Fatal school attacks remain rare in France, but Tuesday’s incident has renewed debate over the effectiveness of current safety measures and the broader societal issues fueling youth violence. Authorities have not yet provided details about the student’s motive.
As investigators continued their inquiry, the school community in Nogent was left reeling from the loss. Crisis counseling teams were dispatched to the school to support students and staff in the aftermath of the attack.
