Shooting in Aubagne: 14-year-old suspect admits the facts, but denies wanting to kill

The 14-year-old arrested after the shootings on Monday, October 12, 2026 at Joseph Lakanal College in Aubagne, admitted the facts, but challenged "to have wanted to kill the targeted people". The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) announced on Wednesday, 14 October. Franceinfo, Ouest-France and 20 Minutes report these statements concerning the same attack, which injured the principal and a teacher. Their judicial information is largely based on the same prosecutor ' s statement, rather than on independent testimony. [S2] [S3] [S6]

Recognized acts, a contested intention

Scalarized in third place at the Bouches-du-Rhône facility, the suspect had introduced a shotgun into a guitar case. According to the reconstruction of the prosecutor's office reported by Actu17, he fired in the direction of the principal and a teacher and then carried out further shots on the upper floor. A senior education adviser disarmed after having evacuated some of the students and staff. Ouest-France confirms the intervention of a staff member, without specifying his function. [S3] [S13]

During his custody, the minor admitted to having matured his project for several months. He denies, however, that he wanted to kill. The recognition of acts and their preparation is therefore not, in his statements, an admission of homicide. This intention remains a central point of investigations, while judicial information includes attempts to assassinate in connection with a terrorist enterprise. [S2] [S13]

The college student invokes a desire for revenge related to harassment which he attributes to teachers and comrades. The Public Prosecutor's Office states that it was not open to anyone and that this harassment does not appear to be corroborated at this stage. It is therefore an explanation, not an established fact, to question the persons he designates. Nor does the absence of substantiation make it possible to conclude definitively on the reality of these accusations. [S2] [S3]

Ouest-France also reports that the expertise carried out during police custody did not conclude that a mental pathology existed. The detailed conclusions of this examination are not set out in the sources consulted: this indication alone is not sufficient to determine the criminal liability of the minor. [S3] [S13]

Why the investigation became anti-terrorist

The PNAT resumed the investigation on Tuesday, 13 October, after the divestment of the Marseille prosecutor's office. Initial analyses of digital media revealed, according to the Public Prosecutor's Office, likely adherence to the True Crime Community (TCC). The public prosecutor's office describes, in particular, within this digital set, a sub-community fascinated by mass killers and encouraging the transition to act by imitation. [S3] [S13]

One of the accounts used by the college student would have been dedicated exclusively to publishing content related to this community, particularly on school killings. The minor admits having been influenced by the latter, but contests having acted on his behalf. Influence, suspected membership and motivation of the attack remain distinct elements. The many digital content identified still needs to be fully exploited. [S3] [S13]

To justify the terrorist trail, the prosecutor's office highlights premeditation, the use of a firearm in a school and repeated shootings at the educational community. It believes that these elements can characterize an undertaking designed to seriously disturb public order by terror. This is the reasoning of the Public Prosecutor's Office at this stage of the proceedings, not a final judicial conclusion. [S13]

Detention requested, accompanied victims

Judicial information was opened on Wednesday and investigations continue under the direction of three anti-terrorist investigating judges of the Paris court. The PNAT requested the placement of the minor in pretrial detention. The sources consulted announce this request, without establishing that a placement decision has already been issued: the distinction is essential as regards a custodial measure. [S2] [S13]

For victims, the consequences are already concrete. According to Actu17, the principal remains hospitalized, with no life-threatening commitment, while the injured teacher left the hospital. They were prescribed 45 days and 10 days of total work incapacity respectively. The Public Prosecutor's Office also reports a number of particularly shocked people near the shootings. The local victim support association, AVAD, was seized to accompany them. [S6] [S13]

At the college, the courses are suspended at least until Thursday evening and replaced by speaking time, reports franceinfo with ICI Provence. The medical-psychological emergency cell set up on Monday remains accessible to staff, students and parents, including Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This support continues while the investigation still needs to clarify the intent of the suspect and the scope of his digital activities. [S7] [S13]