A 16-year-old suspect was arrested after an attack involving a knife and a firearm at Welfen-Gymnasium secondary school in Schongau, Bavaria, on July 8, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Police describe the incident as a "rampage" or "random attack," and believe the suspect acted alone [1, 3, 4].
Two 13-year-old girls were seriously injured in the attack. Authorities confirmed that neither girl was in life-threatening condition [1]. The exact number of additional injured persons and the severity of other injuries have not yet been clarified and remain under investigation [1, 2, 3, 4].
Welfen-Gymnasium sits in Schongau, a small town north of the Alps in Bavaria, and has been coeducational for 40 years [1]. Following the attack, police launched a major operation at the school and urged the public to avoid the area while investigations continued [1, 2, 3, 4].
While serious school violence is rare in Germany, previous incidents include a 2002 shooting in Erfurt with 16 deaths and a stabbing in Essen in 2025 [2, 3, 4]. Authorities have not offered further motive details related to the latest case.
As of today, August 7, 2026, police continue to investigate the circumstances of the attack and the suspect’s motives. The community remains on alert pending updates.
