Teen arrested after principal and teacher shot in Aubagne middle school

A 14-year-old boy remains in custody in Aubagne following gunfire inside a local middle school, prosecutors said. The attack injured two staff members before an employee disarmed the armed pupil.

The boy hid a hunting gun inside a guitar case on Monday, according to prosecutors. He allegedly roamed across two floors of Joseph Lakanal middle school.

A staff member successfully disarmed the youth, prosecutors said. Police officers took him into custody immediately.

Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone issued a formal statement about the incident. Bessone said the pupil fired once or twice on the first floor. Aubagne sits about 15 kilometers, or 9 miles, east of Marseille.

The gunfire struck the principal and a teacher in the legs, Bessone said. Police said the pair were hit with ammunition used in 12-gauge shotguns.

Both victims went to a hospital, according to Bessone. Their injuries were not life threatening.

The boy went to the second floor, Bessone said. He opened fire again, twice.

No pupils were injured in the building, police and Aubagne’s mayor said. Mental health counseling is being offered to pupils, the mayor stated.

Police said the middle school was not impacted on Monday by pupil protests. No immediate information connected the shooting to recent French high school demonstrations.

Education Minister Édouard Geffray addressed the violence in a post on X.

“This unacceptable act once again highlights the rise of unbridled violence in our society, against which we must all mobilize. In words as well as deeds.”

Gun violence by pupils remains rare across France. A 16-year-old student wounded three students and a principal at a southern France high school in 2017. That attacker carried a rifle, pistols and a small grenade.

Stabbings by pupils in schools are also uncommon. Last year, a 14-year-old student fatally stabbed a middle school employee in eastern France during a bag check.

A 15-year-old student stabbed four students at a western France high school in 2025. That incident killed one student and wounded three others.

French prosecutors lead criminal inquiries and direct police forces during serious local investigations. Aubagne middle school facilities operate under national safety guidelines after violent events occur.

Police continue to hold the teenage suspect in Aubagne as prosecutors review the case.