The 19-year-old attacker, a former student, entered the Prečko Elementary School in Zagreb on Friday morning and attacked the teacher and several children with a knife.

Rašić stated that the crime scene investigation has been completed, but “certain evidentiary actions” and further criminal investigations are still ongoing.

The attacker’s mother has told local media that her son had an “emotionally unstable personality” and that he had been admitted to a psychiatric ward several times.

The Chief Police Director, Nikola Milina, told Nova TV that the motive can only be discussed after the criminal investigation is completed. He explained that the police responded very quickly to the scene, deployed all available forces, and in cooperation with the citizens, swiftly located the attacker, who was then arrested.

The attacker reportedly lived near the school from which he graduated five years ago.

“The attacker is in the hospital under police guard, and investigators will speak to him once he recovers. It was not possible to conduct an interview with him, as he has been treated at a medical facility,” said Milina.

“Urgent evidentiary actions are being carried out, and information is being gathered from all those who may have relevant knowledge. However, he is not recorded as a perpetrator of any criminal offences. There are two security ‘incidents’ in the police records – he did not make any threats or engage in behaviour that would pose a danger to others,” Milina explained.

Following the Zagreb deadly school stabbing incident in which the first-grader lost his life and five more people, including the perpetrator, were injured on Friday morning, the government declared Saturday a day of mourning.

Candlelit and prayer vigils have been held in Zagreb’s Prečko neighbourhood since Friday afternoon in tribute to the killed pupil and the other victims of this tragedy.