School Chaos In France – Teen Opens Fire

A 14-year-old student shot and wounded a principal and a teacher at a French middle school, before a staff supervisor reportedly disarmed him.

Story Snapshot

Police arrested a 14-year-old after a shooting at Joseph-Lakanal Middle School in Aubagne.
The principal and a teacher were wounded but their lives were not in danger, officials said.
A school supervisor disarmed the student before police arrived, the mayor said.
No students were reported injured, local media said.

Confirmed Incident at Joseph-Lakanal Middle School

French outlets reported that a 14-year-old student opened fire at Joseph-Lakanal Middle School in Aubagne on October 12, 2026. The shots wounded the school principal and a teacher during the morning. Government officials relayed that both were treated and were not in life-threatening condition. Police arrested the student. Reports identified a firearm used in the attack, with several describing it as a hunting rifle, and one naming a 12-gauge weapon.

Local reporting said the principal suffered a leg wound. Coverage by a regional paper stated that no students were hurt. A national broadcaster, citing officials, also said the two injured staff members were stable. The attack led to a rapid police response and an arrest at the scene. The exact minute-by-minute timeline has not been released by investigators, which is common early in juvenile cases.

Account of Disarmament and Response on Campus

Aubagne’s mayor said a school supervisor intervened and disarmed the student before police reached the campus. The mayor also said the student entered with a rifle and fired twice toward the principal and a teacher. That account matches multiple reports that identified a long gun, though one outlet described a pellet-type pistol. Authorities have not yet published a forensic classification of the weapon used in the attack.

Parents described lockdown-like conditions and fear on campus in the aftermath. They said students sheltered in classrooms and struggled to reach family during the first minutes. Local media reported that firefighters and school teams set up psychological support for students and staff. Such steps mirror standard emergency care in France after school violence. These details help explain why early reports focused on safety checks and reunions rather than technical findings.

What We Know, What Is Typical in Early Investigations

Officials and multiple outlets agree on the core facts: a 14-year-old student was arrested; the principal and a teacher were wounded; and no students were reported physically injured. Reports differ on the exact weapon type and the total shots fired. Early confusion about weapons and counts is common in fast-moving cases. Investigators usually clarify these points after they complete forensic work and brief the prosecutor overseeing the case.

A 14-year-old pupil arrested after shooting a principal and a teacher at Lakanal Middle School in Aubagne, southern France. The pupil reportedly entered the school with a shotgun concealed in a guitar case.#france pic.twitter.com/l8G7QOd9Mc

— GBC News (@gbcnews_) October 12, 2026

France sees far fewer student gun attacks than the United States, but single incidents still shock the nation. Past cases include a 2017 school shooting in Grasse that wounded four people, and attacks involving knives at schools. These events remain rare and episodic, not routine. That context helps explain the strong response, the quick political attention, and the focus on student mental health after this shooting near Marseille.