Teenager detained after gun attack leaves two staff members injured at French middle school

Further details have emerged about the attack at Lakanal middle school in Aubagne, southern France, on Monday morning, including that the 14-year-old carried a shotgun concealed in a guitar case and followed a deliberate sequence of shootings across two floors of the building. The Marseille prosecutor's office has now opened an investigation specifically for attempted murder, and strong government responses have followed, with President Macron offering solidarity and Education Minister Édouard Geffray condemning what he called "unchecked violence in our society."

On the first floor, the teenager shot the school's 53-year-old principal in the leg and lower back and a 37-year-old teacher in the thigh, both non-life-threatening injuries. He then proceeded to the second floor, where he fired twice: once at the ground and once inside an occupied classroom, striking only the chalkboard. He was restrained by staff in a school corridor. All students were rapidly confined to safety, and a psychological support unit was established to assist those affected by the incident.