A 14-year-old boy opened fire at Joseph-Lakanal middle school in Aubagne, near Marseille, on Monday, injuring the headmaster and a teacher. Authorities reported that the boy used a hunting shotgun and fired multiple shots inside the school, where a third individual was grazed by gunfire.
The national counter-terrorism prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday that it is now leading the investigation into what is being treated as an attempted murder linked to a terrorist enterprise. Initial findings suggested the suspect might be associated with the “True Crime Community” (TCC) movement, which promotes admiration for mass killers and can incite extreme violence.
The suspect smuggled the weapon inside a guitar case, firing at least four shots, including one that left a mark on a classroom blackboard. Fortunately, the injuries sustained by the headmaster and teacher are not life-threatening.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with one pupil recalling that the gunman said, “I’ve only come for the teachers, not for the pupils.”
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that the suspect’s parents had been taken into custody as they work to understand how the boy obtained the firearm.
President Emmanuel Macron praised the quick actions of the staff, which prevented further tragedy, while Education Minister Edouard Geffray condemned the premeditated nature of the attack, noting that the suspect appeared to have planned the incident in advance.
Calls for a broader societal response to violence in schools are growing, with officials acknowledging that educational institutions alone cannot tackle this serious issue.
