"I Came Only for the Teachers": 14-Year-Old Opens Fire at School with Shotgun; France on High Alert Over School Safety

Went to school with a shotgun hidden in a guitar case
Three injured, including the principal and a teacher
Macron: "I pay tribute to the school staff's response"

A 14-year-old student opened fire with a shotgun at a middle school in southern France, injuring three people, including the principal and a teacher. French authorities have launched a counterterrorism investigation after reports emerged that the suspect may have been influenced by an online community that glorifies mass-casualty crimes.

On the 13th (local time), AFP, Le Monde, and the local outlet Maritima reported that the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) had taken over the investigation into the shooting from the Marseille prosecutor's office. The shooting occurred that day at Joseph Lakanal Middle School in Aubagne, near Marseille.

A 14-year-old student opened fire with a shotgun at a middle school in southern France, injuring three people, including the principal and a teacher. AFP-Yonhap News

The incident occurred at around 9:25 a.m. on the 12th. The 14-year-old male student, who attended the school, went to class with a shotgun hidden in a guitar case and fired at least four shots on the school grounds. According to the Marseille prosecutor's office, the suspect fired from the first floor of the school building, injuring the 53-year-old principal and a 37-year-old female teacher. He then moved to another floor and fired additional shots. One bullet flew into a classroom where students and teachers were present and struck a blackboard.

The principal was hit by shotgun pellets in the thigh and lower back, while the teacher sustained an injury to her leg. Police said a third victim also suffered a minor graze wound during the shooting. No one was reported to have been seriously injured. School staff subdued the suspect after the shooting. One staff member seized his firearm, preventing further injuries, and responding police officers arrested the boy at the scene.

Students who were at the school also gave accounts of what happened. Sara, who was in a Spanish class, said she went into the hallway after a fire alarm sounded and came face-to-face with the armed suspect. She told AFP that as he fired, he said, "I came only for the teachers. The students aren't targets."

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office said the suspect may have been influenced by an online group known as the True Crime Community (TCC). AFP-Yonhap News

Another student, Adrian, said that after hearing gunshots and the fire alarm, he saw the armed student and took refuge in a classroom with his classmates. He recalled that the suspect had been "an ordinary classmate who was friendly and not a mean kid." Police and emergency responders arrived at the school shortly after the incident, while alarmed parents gathered to check that their children were safe. The school evacuated students and arranged emergency support for students and staff who had been psychologically affected.

French prosecutors initially opened an investigation on suspicion of attempted murder, but uncovered new information while analyzing the suspect's digital devices. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office said the suspect may have been influenced by an online group known as the True Crime Community (TCC).

TCC refers to a phenomenon in which some online users interested in real-life violent crimes glorify perpetrators of mass-casualty crimes or follow extreme violence. Prosecutors said they found indications in the suspect's digital data that he may have sympathized with the group, and explained that the crime may also have been influenced by related ideology.

The incident comes amid a recent spate of violent attacks targeting staff and students at schools in France, heightening concerns. AFP-Yonhap News Agency

Authorities consequently expanded the investigation to focus on charges including attempted murder in connection with terrorism, forming a criminal association for the purpose of committing terrorist crimes, and violations of firearms laws. However, the suspect's specific motive and the effect of his online activity on the shooting have not yet been established. How he obtained the firearm is also under investigation. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez visited the scene and said authorities were investigating how the 14-year-old student had obtained the shotgun. Police also detained and questioned the suspect's parents for a time.

French President Emmanuel Macron offered his condolences to the victims, students, and parents in a post on X, the social media platform. "I pay tribute to the composure and exemplary response of the school staff, which helped prevent the worst," Macron said.

The incident has heightened concerns as violent attacks targeting school staff and students have occurred repeatedly at French schools in recent months. In February this year, in southern France, a 14-year-old student stabbed an art teacher several times, leaving the teacher in critical condition. In June last year, a 14-year-old student fatally stabbed a school staff member at a school in eastern France. Following a series of serious crimes at schools, some educational institutions in France have tightened security measures, including conducting bag checks on students.

French Education Minister Edouard Geffray stressed that society as a whole must respond to school violence. "Schools cannot solve everything," he said, calling for measures that also address violence outside school. Meanwhile, French authorities believe the shooting was unrelated to the high school students' ongoing protests calling for improvements to educational conditions and other issues.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.