Attack at Lakanal college

An attack occurred around 09h25 within the premises of the Lakanal college in Aubagne, near Marseille, where a student opened fire with a hunting rifle, injuring the principal and a teacher before being disarmed by the head of educational counseling and detained. The authorities stated that the victims' vital prognosis is not compromised. The father and mother of the teenager who opened fire have been placed under custody in an attempt to understand how the young person ended up in possession of the weapon. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and his counterpart in Education, Edouard Geffray, visited the site.

Investigation into the attack

The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has taken charge of the investigation, as the suspected minor could be affiliated with the True Crime Community (TCC) movement, which glorifies mass shootings. The investigation is opened for "attempts at murder related to a terrorist enterprise, terrorist association for the purpose of crimes against persons, and violations of firearms legislation related to a terrorist enterprise." Initial investigations, including the exploitation of the minor's digital media, highlight the probable affiliation to the TCC movement and the inclusion of the criminal act within the school's ideology. The TCC is described as an ecosystem of digital communities that glorify mass shooters and incite, in some forms, the use of extreme violence.

Calls for prevention over security measures

The SNICS-FSU, a union of school nurses, recalls in a statement that prevention should take precedence over "security overreach," as the debate on security portals at schools was reignited. Martine Vassal, president of the Bouches-du-Rhône departmental council, cited by Le Parisien, reignited this proposal. The union states that the educational community should be able to rebuild at its own pace, without being subjected to immediate responses dictated by emotion, and that portals are not a comprehensive answer to violence.

Limitations of security portals

There is currently no robust scientific evidence that allows us to assert that the generalization of portals reduces school violence or effectively improves the safety of students. These devices do not prevent bullying, aggression, or violence occurring around the schools. They cannot also prevent the introduction of weapons through other accesses than the main entrance. On June 10, 2025, an education assistant at the Françoise-Dolto college in Nogent (Haute-Marne) was struck seven times with a knife in front of her school by a student during an unexpected bag check by gendarmes aimed at detecting possible weapons.

Demand for investment in human resources

The SNICS-FSU demands a rigorous evaluation of the real effectiveness and consequences of portals before committing "several billion euros" to their implementation. Instead, the union calls for a massive investment in human and educational resources, including the mass recruitment of school nurses and higher education nurses. School nurses welcome the voices of young people, identify situations of suffering, prevent ruptures, support students, and contribute to building a more inclusive and attentive school community. The union recalls that 15,000 nurses are still missing to meet the demand and "have the necessary time to perform their duties."

Role of school nurses in prevention

Violaine Mengin, Deputy Secretary General of the SNICS-FSU, emphasizes that school nurses and higher education nurses have the role of welcoming the voices of all young people, without judgment, within a framework of trust and confidentiality. This listening is an essential lever for preventing radicalization processes, identifying vulnerable situations, and supporting each young person as best as possible. All young people, without exception, should be addressed in this manner. There are also nurses working in the penitentiary system.

Comprehensive support for students

Listening is not always enough, as the role also includes assessing the needs of young people, supporting them, and, when necessary, guiding them to the most suitable professionals and devices for their situation. It is the importance of the work in a multidisciplinary team within and outside the school. It is also the meaning of the missions in terms of child protection: identifying worrying situations, supporting students, and when necessary, transmitting worrying information or making reports to alert the competent authorities and enable protective intervention.

Prevention through holistic approaches

Preventing violence is also about strengthening school life, social and educational support, supporting families, and offering young people social and professional integration prospects. It is acting in advance rather than limiting oneself to controlling entrances. The SNICS-FSU calls on the ministry "to choose a sustainable school health and prevention policy, based on proven data and human resources up to the needs of students and staff."