A 14‑year‑old student was detained immediately after a shooting incident at Lakanal middle school in Aubagne on Monday morning. The student, according to the mayor, walked into the school carrying a handgun and fired several shots that hit a 53‑year‑old principal in the leg and a 37‑year‑old teacher in the thigh; none of the students were injured. French authorities say the incident was not linked to the ongoing protests over school conditions and that the suspect was restrained by other staff members before police arrival.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray posted on social media that the two staff members suffered non‑life‑threatening wounds and that the pupil is the alleged perpetrator. He added that he would join Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez at the scene later that day to meet with the school community.
Mayor Jean‑Pierre Squillari confirmed that all students were immediately confined and secured within seconds, and that the suspect was taken into custody. No students appear to have been harmed and the teachers received medical treatment.
As the investigation continues, authorities remain focused on understanding how the pupil gained access to a firearm and why the shooting was carried out inside a school environment.
