German teen stabs 8-year-old and then sets himself on fire at school, police say

A teenager armed with a knife wounded an 8-year-old boy at a school in eastern Germany on Wednesday and then set himself on fire, police said.

The incident happened in Bischofswerda, east of the city of Dresden, German news agency dpa reported. The boy was taken to a hospital by helicopter with wounds to the head and neck, according to the regional education ministry, and was in a stable condition.

Ambulances stand in the schoolyard of an elementary and high school in Bischofswerda, Saxony, on 23 August 2023. Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images

Police initially said the victim was a girl, but then corrected that information.

The school building was evacuated after police were alerted to the situation at about 9:45 a.m. local time.

The 16-year-old was also a student. Police said he set himself on fire after the knife attack, but the flames were extinguished. He was arrested and taken to a hospital.

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