Child, 7, dies in stabbing at Croatian primary school

A seven-year-old child has been killed and other children injured after man entered a primary school in Croatia and attacked a teacher and students with a knife.

Three children were taken to hospital following the incident in Zagreb, the Croatian capital, on Friday. They are now "out of danger", Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said.

The alleged attacker, a 19-year-old man and former pupil, was arrested near the scene. He is also being treated for self-inflicted injuries.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said he was "horrified" by the incident at Precko Elementary School, in the west of the city.

Photographs from the scene show police officers, ambulance staff and forensic teams outside the building.

Health Minister Irena Hrstic told reporters outside a children's hospital that the attacker had entered the school before stabbing staff and pupils.

A total of five people were hospitalised following the incident, she added.

Bozinovic said the suspect had a history of mental health issues and that the police had "stopped him from committing suicide".

He added the man initially fled the scene and locked himself inside a room at a nearby health centre, before being detained.

Parents at the school spoke of panic as they searched for their children.

"It's disastrous that when I rushed into the school, I had no information regarding my child's whereabouts, no one was willing to provide any details," Marko Palada told Reuters.

Croatia will observe a day of mourning on Saturday because of the attack.