AUBAGNE, France – A peaceful Monday morning at the Joseph-Lakanal secondary school in the Bouches-du-Rhône department was shattered by gunfire, leaving two staff members injured and a community in shock. Authorities confirmed that a 14-year-old student has been taken into custody following the incident, which occurred on the school premises.
Local police were alerted to the shooting shortly after 11:00 a.m. Preliminary reports indicate that the headteacher of the institution was targeted by the assailant using a 12-gauge shotgun. A second member of the teaching staff was also struck during the incident.
Emergency services, including specialized tactical police units and medical responders, were deployed to the school grounds immediately. Both victims were provided with urgent medical assistance at the scene. Officials from the Marseille prosecutor’s office, which has taken charge of the investigation, confirmed that while the injuries sustained by the headteacher and the staff member are serious, neither is currently considered life-threatening.
The identity of the 14-year-old suspect has not been released, and the individual remains in police custody. Authorities have yet to establish a motive or a clear timeline of the events leading up to the shooting. As news of the attack spread, parents gathered outside the school perimeter, desperate for information as police secured the area and began interviewing witnesses.
The Prefect of the Bouches-du-Rhône department has activated a local emergency response unit to provide psychological support to the students, staff, and families affected by the trauma. “Our priority at this moment is the safety of the students and the well-being of the victims,” a representative for the local education authority stated, while refusing to comment further on the ongoing criminal investigation.
The shooting at Joseph-Lakanal has sent shockwaves through the town of Aubagne, a community unaccustomed to such levels of violence. Security perimeters remain in place as forensic teams comb the school for evidence. Investigators are currently focused on how a student gained access to a 12-gauge shotgun and whether the attack was premeditated.
As of early afternoon, the school remains under lockdown while police conduct a thorough sweep of the classrooms and common areas. Regional politicians have expressed their solidarity with the victims and the faculty, condemning the act of violence in the strongest terms.
“We are reeling from this event,” said one local official. “The safety of our schools is a fundamental pillar of our society, and today that security has been violated.”
The Marseille prosecutor’s office has indicated that a press conference will be held later this evening to provide further updates as the investigation progresses.
This is a developing story. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
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