FRANCE: LOUIS 14-YEAR-OLD STUDENT OPENS FIRE AT SCHOOL, SAYING HE WANTED REVENGE FOR BULLYING.
AUBAGNE, FRANCE — OCTOBER 18, 2026 — BULLYING WITHOUT BORDERS (BSF)
A 14-year-old student opened fire at a school in Aubagne, southern France, injuring the school principal and a teacher. After his arrest, the teenager said he had carried out the attack to take revenge for what he described as bullying by teachers and fellow students.
His statement places school bullying at the center of the investigation into the attacker's motives. French authorities are examining his account, the circumstances leading up to the shooting, and the possible influence of violent online communities.
The shooting took place on October 12 at Collège Joseph-Lakanal, near Marseille. The principal, 53, suffered a gunshot wound to the hip, while a 37-year-old mathematics teacher was also injured. Neither victim's injuries were reported to be life-threatening.
A member of the school staff intervened and helped disarm the teenager.
HE SAID HE WANTED REVENGE FOR BULLYING
During questioning, the teenager acknowledged his involvement in the shooting and said he had been preparing the attack for several months. He told investigators that he wanted revenge for what he claimed was harassment by teachers and classmates.
That statement matters. The alleged bullying was not simply an explanation invented by outside observers after the event: it was the motive the teenager himself reportedly gave investigators.
His account does not, by itself, establish every detail of the alleged harassment. Those circumstances remain subject to investigation. But his declared motive is a central part of the story and deserves serious examination.
What happened before the shooting? Did the teenager experience repeated humiliation or intimidation? Had he reported any incidents? Were there warning signs that adults could have recognized?
These are among the questions investigators must answer.
A POSSIBLE INFLUENCE FROM VIOLENT ONLINE COMMUNITIES
Investigators also found that the teenager had an online account associated with extremely violent material, including content related to school shootings and mass murderers.
According to information released by French authorities, the account was connected to the so-called True Crime Community, an online environment in which some users glorify mass killers and circulate material about violent attacks.
The teenager reportedly acknowledged being influenced by this online community but denied acting on its behalf.
The discovery adds another dimension to the investigation: whether violent online content contributed to the preparation of the attack, reinforced the teenager's thinking, or influenced the way he imagined revenge.
The existence of such material does not, on its own, establish the precise role it played. That role must be assessed alongside the teenager's statements and the other evidence collected.
BULLYING, REVENGE AND THE FAILURE TO PREVENT VIOLENCE
The teenager's statement raises a difficult question for schools, families, and public authorities: what happens when a young person believes that revenge is the only way to respond to perceived humiliation or mistreatment?
BSF must be taken seriously whenever it is reported. Repeated harassment can cause profound psychological distress, undermine a student's sense of safety, and leave young people feeling isolated or powerless.
But revenge is not a legitimate response to bullying, and the vast majority of people who experience harassment do not commit acts of violence. A claim of bullying must be investigated, while threats and preparations for violence require immediate attention.
The central task is to identify and address both problems: the possible harassment that a student reports experiencing and any credible risk that the student may harm other people.
WORLD ORGANIZATION BULLYING WITHOUT BORDERS (BSF)
