A teacher has been killed and two individuals seriously injured in a knife attack at Gambetta high school in Arras, France. The incident occurred at approximately 11:00 local time, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. The attacker, described as a man in his 20s of Chechen origin, has been apprehended and is currently in custody. Witnesses reported that the assailant shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, indicating a potential religious motivation.
The victim of the attack was a French language teacher, while the injured parties include another teacher and a security guard. The perpetrator, who had previous involvement with radical Islam and was known to the security services, is reported to be a former pupil of the school.
The French anti-terror prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the incident, classifying it as “murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise” and “attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.” Additionally, the brother of the attacker has been detained by the police, as reported by news channel BFMTV.
French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit the school later today, and the National Assembly in Paris has suspended its session in solidarity with the victims. While tensions have been rising within France’s Muslim and Jewish communities due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, authorities have stated that there is no evidence linking this attack to the Middle East.
This incident occurs nearly three years after the murder and beheading of another teacher, Samuel Paty, outside Paris. The perpetrator of that attack, 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov, a Russian Muslim refugee, was subsequently shot dead by the police.
The situation at Gambetta high school is now under control, according to the police.
