A 15-year-old student at Armand Călinescu Technical College in Pitești brought a machete to school and attacked two classmates during the 9 a.m. break. One boy was taken to hospital with a forearm wound. The suspect, who says he had suffered repeated bullying, was detained for 24 hours. The incident came just days after an attack in Bistrița.

(Staff: Romania / Education & Justice)

Romania is experiencing a troubling week for school safety. After a 13-year-old student stabbed a teacher and a classmate in Bistrița on Monday, another violent incident occurred in Pitești on Thursday morning. This time, it took place in the boys’ bathroom at Armand Călinescu Technical College, and the weapon was reportedly a machete.

The incident happened during the first break, at around 9 a.m. A 15-year-old student from class IX D reportedly entered the school with a concealed machete, called two classmates into the bathroom and attacked them. Initial reports suggest he may have acted out of revenge after repeated jokes and alleged bullying by the two students.

What happened in the school bathroom

“He came in and started swinging the machete, but he didn’t know how to use it: the blade kept slipping from his hand, and he struck with the handle. The victim hid behind me out of fear. I didn’t want to fight him, but he tried to hit me too, so I pushed him away. We were in the boys’ bathroom,” a student who witnessed the attack told ePitești.ro.

A teacher’s quick intervention helped prevent an even more serious tragedy. One boy suffered a forearm wound and was taken to hospital for treatment. The second student had abrasions on his hand and declined hospital transport. Argeș emergency services said both injured students received care at the scene and one was taken to hospital for further examinations.

The alleged attacker left the bathroom as if nothing had happened and was detained by police in his classroom. He was still carrying the machete he had brought to school that morning.

Bullying at the centre of the investigation

Investigators began examining the possible motive soon after the incident. Initial checks raised the possibility that the 15-year-old had been subjected to repeated bullying since the start of the school year. His family says some classmates constantly mocked and bullied him, hit him on the head and humiliated him. Relatives also alleged that students photographed him and used artificial intelligence to create manipulated images showing him in embarrassing situations, then shared them to ridicule him.

According to judicial sources, the boy may have tried to deal with the alleged abuse alone, without telling his parents or teachers. At school, he was considered diligent and quiet and had not caused problems before the attack. However, frustration may have built up behind that image and eventually erupted violently.

Authorities’ response and measures taken

Police in Argeș opened a criminal investigation into the alleged unlawful carrying or use of dangerous objects, assault or other violence, property damage and disturbance of public order. After evidence was gathered, the 15-year-old was detained for 24 hours.

The Argeș County School Inspectorate said it would launch an administrative inquiry to determine whether the school had properly addressed signs of bullying and whether supervision had been inadequate. The case also raises the question of how a student managed to bring a bladed weapon into a school with more than a thousand pupils without being detected.

A worrying context

The incident in Pitești came just days after the attack in Bistrița, where a 13-year-old student stabbed a teacher and a classmate. Both cases involve extreme violence as well as reports of psychological distress and warning signs that may have gone unnoticed. In both situations, the students accused of attacking others had previously been considered quiet and had not drawn the authorities’ attention through their behaviour.

Educational psychology specialists warn that prolonged bullying can devastate children’s mental health and may contribute to extreme reactions when a victim feels there is no other way out. In many Romanian schools, psychological counselling is insufficient, and teachers may not be trained to recognise early signs of harassment.

Conclusion

A 15-year-old student entered a school with a machete and attacked classmates. Another student was taken to hospital. Behind the incident are questions of bullying, silence and a system that may not have intervened in time. The Pitești case is not only about a violent attack; it also raises questions about society’s ability to protect children, both those who are bullied and those who go on to bully others. How many other students are carrying similar despair without anyone noticing?