The Nic Diederichs Technical High School slashing was an incident on 17 August 2008 at the Nic Diederichs Technical High School in Krugersdorp, South Africa, in which 18-year-old matric (Grade 12) student Morné Harmse attacked four people with a samurai sword. 16-year-old grade 9 pupil Jacques Pretorius was killed, and two campus gardeners and a second pupil were seriously injured. Harmse later pleaded guilty to a charge of murder and three charges of attempted murder and was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment.
Harmse was reported to have "followed" the practice of satanism. The attack also lead to blaming and criticism of the American heavy metal band Slipknot, as Harmse had acquired a mask that resembled one of a Slipknot band member's, and had donned on a dress similar to the band's drummer, Joey Jordison, during the morning of the attack, and had also started listening to the band months prior to the attack.
Read more about Nic Diederichs Technical High School Slashing: The Attack, Conviction
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