Shotgun hidden inside a guitar case; three injured, including a teacher.

A 14-year-old boy opened fire at a middle school near Marseille, France, injuring three people, including a teacher.

According to AFP, the incident took place at around 10:00 a.m. on the 12th (local time) at the Joseph-Lakanal Middle School in Aubagne, near Marseille. The suspect roamed across two floors of the school building and fired several shots. A school staff member eventually subdued the suspect and seized the firearm.

Authorities stated that a 53-year-old principal and a 37-year-old teacher were injured in the shooting, though their lives are not in danger. AFP, citing police sources, reported that a third victim sustained minor abrasions. The identity of this third victim has not been disclosed.

The suspect was confirmed to be a 14-year-old student currently enrolled at the school. French authorities revealed that the suspect smuggled the shotgun into the school by hiding it inside a guitar case. Marseille Deputy Prosecutor Audrey Jouaneton stated that surveillance footage confirmed the suspect taking the gun out of a guitar case.

Sara, a student who was attending class at the time, said she went out into the hallway when a fire alarm went off during her Spanish class, where she and her classmates came face-to-face with the shooter. Sara recalled that the suspect declared, "I only came to target the teachers. Students are not [the targets]." Another student, Adrien, described the suspect as a "friendly classmate who wasn't mean."

Authorities have launched an investigation on charges of attempted murder. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that investigative authorities are looking into how the suspect managed to obtain the firearm. According to local media Maritima on the 13th (local time), police have also confirmed the custody status of the suspect's parents.

That day, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the quick response of the school staff via X (formerly Twitter). President Macron stated, "I pay tribute to the calmness and exemplary response of the staff, which helped prevent the worst."

In recent months, a series of incidents have occurred in French schools where students attacked teachers or other students with weapons. In February, a 14-year-old student in southern France stabbed an art teacher multiple times, leaving the teacher in critical condition.

Authorities believe this incident is unrelated to the high school student protests that have taken place in France over recent weeks. France has recently seen continuous protests by high school students demonstrating against staff shortages and educational conditions in schools.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]