Government says attacker arrested; Authorities are investigating whether the crime is linked to extremist groups
A man with a knife broke into a secondary school in the city of Arras in northern France this Friday (October 13, 2023). A French teacher was killed. Two other people were injured, one of them seriously.
In the post on XFrench Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin reported that the attack was carried out on the Gambetta secondary school in the central region of Arras. According to him, the perpetrator was also arrested.
According to local broadcaster BFMTV, citing police sources, the suspect is an approximately 20yearold man of Chechen origin, a former student of the school. The attacker’s brother was also arrested.
Police and city officials said the man allegedly shouted “Allah is great” in Arabic as he entered the educational facility. Police also reported that the attacker was known for his involvement in radical Islamic groups.
Videos circulating on social media show people trying to control the attacker in the schoolyard by using a chair as a shield.
Regard:
France: A man shouting “Allahu Akbar” stabs a teacher at a school in Arras. The man is in his mid20s and of Chechen origin. He was the former student of the school.#FranceAttack #FranceStabbing #Franceknifeatack https://t.co/km3LYiIcyw
— Annu Kaushik (@AnnuKaushik253) October 13, 2023
France’s counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said it would investigate whether the incident was linked to extremist groups and whether it was a terrorist attack. French authorities have called for school security to be strengthened.
According to the Presidency of the Republic, President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Arras this Friday (October 13).