At least two people were seriously injured in an attack at Welfen-Gymnasium in the Upper Bavarian town of Schongau around midday. According to police, the 16-year-old perpetrator has been arrested. Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann of the Christian Social Union (CSU) said the teenager was armed with a firearm and a knife. Police have so far released no further details about him. His motive remains unknown.
The alarm was raised with local police at around 12:50 p.m. Some teachers are said to have mistaken it for a fire alarm and allowed pupils to leave the building. Others followed the procedure prescribed for such incidents and kept pupils inside their classrooms. Based on current information, the incident took place while classes were under way. Initial findings suggest that it unfolded both on the school grounds and in the immediate vicinity.
Earlier Threat
According to media reports, Welfen-Gymnasium had already received a threat of a school attack in December 2025. The Münchner Merkur reported that a minor had allegedly threatened to kill fellow pupils and announced plans for an attack. The teenager was temporarily excluded from classes at the time. Police, the youth welfare office and the school became involved.
According to sources close to the school, the perpetrator was a 16-year-old Croatian former pupil who was receiving mental health treatment. The same sources said he was believed to be the pupil who had announced the attack last year.
Police said there was no indication of a second perpetrator. A large police contingent was deployed to the scene. According to a police spokeswoman, more than 15 patrol units were sent to Welfen-Gymnasium. A police helicopter was also used during the search, according to Bild, after the perpetrator initially fled. He was arrested shortly afterwards.
Six Helicopters Deployed
It is not yet known how many people were injured in total. A spokesman for ADAC air rescue said six rescue helicopters had been deployed, four of them from ADAC. One of the ADAC helicopters was used to treat the injured. A police spokesman initially spoke of a single-digit number of casualties. The precise course of events at the school and how the victims were injured remain unclear. Police investigations are continuing.
Welfen-Gymnasium is located in Schongau, a small town on the River Lech in western Upper Bavaria. The town has around 12,000 residents. The school is just a few hundred meters from the old town and the river. According to its website, around 800 pupils attend Welfen-Gymnasium, which has about 80 teachers. A primary school, a Mittelschule and a Realschule are also located nearby.
A contact point for relatives and parents of pupils has been set up at the fire station. “Many pupils need psychological and medical care”, police spokesman Michael Spessa said live on Bavarian broadcaster BR24. A number of pupils are currently still being looked after there.