14-Year-Old Student Shoots Principal and Teacher at Joseph-Lakanal College in Aubagne

On October 12, 2026, a 14-year-old student opened fire at Joseph-Lakanal College in Aubagne, Bouches-du-Rhône, injuring the school principal and a teacher. The incident occurred around 10 AM when the student, armed with a 12-gauge shotgun, entered the school and fired at the two staff members. Both victims—the principal, aged 53, and the teacher, aged 37—sustained injuries but are reported to be in stable condition without life-threatening wounds. A third person suffered minor injuries in the incident.

The suspect was quickly subdued by the school's staff and apprehended in a corridor by the school's Conseiller Principal d'Éducation (CPE). Authorities confirmed that the shooting is unrelated to the ongoing student protests occurring in France at the time; the school was not involved in any such demonstrations or lockdowns.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Education Minister Édouard Geffray plan to visit the school, highlighting the necessity for a collective response to rising violence in society. Following the shooting, security measures were promptly put in place and students were evacuated from classrooms in an orderly, class-by-class fashion as a crisis cell was activated at the site.

The precise motives behind the shooting remain unclear, with investigations ongoing. The swift action by school personnel prevented further harm, and both ministers' visits underscore the gravity of the event and the government's commitment to safety in educational environments.

This tragic incident marks a disturbing escalation of violence in a school setting near Marseille and has sparked concern at both local and national levels as authorities pursue answers and measures to prevent future occurrences.