A middle school student in the city of Chelyabinsk attacked several classmates and a teacher with a hammer, law enforcement authorities said Monday, as local media reported at least four people being injured as a result of the attack.
“A 13-year-old student in Chelyabinsk caused bodily harm to his peers and teacher with various objects,” Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said in a statement.
Law enforcement officials launched a criminal investigation into the incident, treating it as attempted murder and a case of “negligence.”
Chelyabinsk region Governor Alexei Teksler said “there are victims” following the attack, adding that “they have been hospitalized, and all necessary medical care is being provided.” He did not say how many people were injured.
“The big question is how a student brought a hammer to school. Why didn’t the guards react?” Teksler said.
Local media, citing health officials, reported that at least two girls, one boy and a teacher were injured in the hammer attack.
The seventh-grader who allegedly carried out the attack also injured himself, the Interfax news agency reported, citing law enforcement officials.
The identity of the student and the motive for the attack were not immediately known.