In a shocking incident in Kampala, Uganda, four young children, aged around two and three, were “brutally stabbed and killed” at a nursery school, police confirmed.
The victims, three boys and a girl, died instantly, a police spokesperson said, noting that the attacker had used more than one knife during the morning assault.
A 39-year-old man has been detained and is under questioning as authorities work “to establish his motive, background, and any other relevant circumstances surrounding this heinous crime,” according to a statement from the Uganda Police Force on X.
AFP reports that angry parents attempted to lynch the suspect before police intervened, spokesperson Racheal Kawala said.
Footage circulating on social media shows crowds of distressed people, some believed to be parents desperately seeking news of their children.
Kawala added that the suspect had recently visited the Ggaba Early Childhood Development Program School to inquire about enrolling a child and was told to return on Thursday.
“She paid for admission [and] after that proceeded and attacked these children, killing four of them instantly,” she said. The attack occurred before 11:00 local time (08:00 GMT), prompting a swift response from police.
The other 10 children present at the school during the attack have been returned to their parents, Kawala confirmed.
Investigators remain at the scene in the upscale Ggaba neighborhood, and Kawala said further details will be shared later. Police chief Abas Byakagaba has visited the school and urged the public to remain calm while the investigation continues.
As evening fell, the atmosphere outside the school, where staff had gathered and the area remained cordoned off, was one of deep sorrow.
The tragic attack has sent shockwaves across Uganda, raising urgent concerns about the safety of young learners in the country.
