An 18-year-old Kosovar student was shot and taken into custody by police after attacking a teacher with a knife at a vocational college in Essen on Friday, September 5th.
The teacher was seriously injured and transported to a hospital, though authorities say her life is not in danger.
The incident triggered a large-scale police operation. The suspect—–who is also a student at the school–—fled the scene and was later spotted in a park approximately three kilometers away.
When a special operations unit attempted to detain him, he reportedly charged at officers with a knife, prompting police to open fire and subdue him.
Heavily armed police had already surrounded and searched the school. A helicopter circled above, and the area was cordoned off as officials worked to secure the campus. The west German city’s Mayor Thomas Kufen (CDU) visited the site to assess the situation.
Students inside the school hid in classrooms following active-shooter procedures. Several pupils were treated for shock after witnessing the attack or attempting to help.
Essen itself is no stranger to horrific violence linked to mass migration. In September 2024, a 41-year-old Syrian set fire to two buildings, rammed his vehicle into a grocery store, and threatened passers-by with a machete, injuring a total of 31 people.
