A teacher died this Friday in a knife attack at a high school in Arras, in Pas-de-Calais, northern France. There are at least two people injured, according to the first information collected by the French press.
The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, confirmed on Twitter (now X) that “a police operation took place at the Gambetta institute, in Arras. The perpetrator has been arrested by the police.” The president, Emmanuel Macron, is going to travel to the site of the attack, as confirmed by the Elysée. Also the Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal, and Darmanin.
The nature of the attack is unknown at this time, although the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office has said in a statement that it will open an investigation into the murder charges “in relation to a terrorist enterprise and terrorist criminal association.”
The detainee, a young man of Chechen origin in his 20s, was a former student of the institute. According to police sources explained to the BFM network, ha shouted “Allah Akbar”. His brother has also been arrested.