France's education minister, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, lauded the school's "heroic" headmaster, among four people injured in the attack, and who "rushed towards the student to try and reason with him".

Thanks to his actions, "we escaped the worst," she said.

There were calls on Thursday night for the French government to bolster security outside schools with "filter" systems amid questions over how the teenager was able to stroll into the compound with so many arms.

Ms Vallaud-Belkacem described the shooting as "the mad act of a fragile, weapon-obsessed young man". A few days ago he had reportedly sent classmates a morbid picture of students covered in blood on their group Facebook page, but later said it was a joke.

He also posted a Facebook video of himself with a gas and clown mask with a gun to his head.</s>The above photo shows Parisian policemen standing guard outside of the city’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) office following a letter bomb explosion that injured one employee. This incident has prompted French authorities to sound the terror alarm, and across the country in Grasse, an unrelated high school shooting left eight people injured. Police have already arrested one person in connection with the second incident, which does not appear to be terror related (although the details are no less horrifying). Yet the first incident has sparked a manhunt by anti-terrorism investigators.

Reuters reveals how a device, probably a home-made one, exploded “like a big fire cracker” as soon as a secretary opened a letter addressed to the IMF’s European representative, Jeffrey Franks, who has led the office for two years. No group or person has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, although Conspiracy of Fire Cells — a militant Greek group — has stepped up to claim a similar Wednesday attack (a parcel bomb) that was sent to German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. That package was intercepted en route from Athens.

Hours away at the Grasse high school, three people were directly struck by gunfire and another five people were injured in a resulting stampede as students and faculty fled the premises. Al Jazeera reports that authorities have arrested an “unstable young man fascinated by firearms,” and the suspect remains in custody. The 17-year-old student toted a notable arsenal (a rifle, some handguns, and two grenades), and investigators believe he “had consulted American-style mass killing videos.”

French Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem has praised the school’s headmaster as “heroic” for rushing towards the student when he began firing, sustaining a gunshot wound in the process. None of the injuries — either at the IMF or in Grasse — are life threatening in nature.

Paris remains in a state of heightened awareness to such attacks after a February machete attack at the Lourve museum, which raised fears again following the November 2015 coordinated terror attacks that killed over 130 people and injured hundreds more.</s>Three people have been injured in a shooting at a school in Grasse, southern France, according to interior ministry, while the authorities confirm the incident is not terrorism-related. A 17 year old student, carrying a rifle, two handguns and two grenades has reportedly been arrested over the incident.," a police source told Reuters.Another police source said thaton the headmaster. The"One of the two was arrested and the second fled. There was panic and the students took refuge in the [neighboring] supermarket," the source said.A picture allegedly from the crime scene has emerged online.Three people were injured in the shooting, interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told France Inter radio.The, as cited by Reuters.Following the first reports on the shooting, local emergency services urged residents via Twitter to stay indoors, while the French government launched a terrorist attack warning over the Grasse incident through a telephone application.It</s>At least eight people wounded in high school shooting in town of Grasse, interior ministry spokesman tells local media.

Several people have been wounded in a shooting at a high school in southeast France, according to officials.

Schools in the small town of Grasse were placed under lockdown after Wednesday's incident at the Tocqueville high school, Emmanuel Ethis, the regional educational chief, said on Twitter.

One 17-year-old pupil armed with a rifle, two handguns and two grenades was arrested after the shooting, police sources told news agencies.

Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told BFM TV that eight people had been wounded, and advised families to remain patient as police took control to stabilise the situation.

Local emergency services also advised residents to stay indoors. The Grasse Town Hall said the incident was not "terrorist" related.</s>A student has been arrested after a shooting at a high school in the town of Grasse, south-east France, authorities said Thursday.

The 17-year-old, armed with a rifle, a handgun, a revolver and two grenades, entered the Alexis de Tocqueville school at about lunchtime and opened fire at the headteacher, CNN’s French affiliate BFMTV reported.

Four people were injured by shot fired from a hunting rifle and are being treated in hospital, the Alpes Maritimes prefecture said in a statement, while four others are being treated for shock. The headteacher was among those hurt.

The pupil arrested wasn’t known to police, the spokesman said. Authorities said the attack was not considered a terrorism incident.

Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said an investigation had been opened into the incident and that the student was being questioned. He praised the response of staff at the school, saying they had acted quickly to protect students and alert security forces.

People were injured by weapons and the movement of crowds through the school, he said.

A student named as Andreas, interviewed on BFMTV, described a scene of chaos and said someone he knew had suffered a hand injury.

“I heard four shots. It was a complete panic. We went up to be safe. It was like being in a movie. We are not used to that,” he said. “We hear stuff going on in Paris but now we understand.”

Student Chiara L. Besson tweeted that she was in a classroom at the school when the gunfire broke out and that it had lasted between five and 10 minutes.

She said she, her classmates and their teacher had all got out without injuries and that the school had been evacuated.

The Interior Ministry tweeted that the elite police operations unit and bomb squad had now finished their work but a security cordon would remain in place around the school while the investigation continued.

The French education ministry tweeted that schools in Grasse were no longer under lockdown except for the Alexis de Tocqueville high school. Parents had been asked to stay away and not to try to pick up their children.

Education Minister Najat Belkacem was on her way to the scene, the ministry said.

An investigation has also been opened into a separate incident Thursday, Le Roux said, in which an employee of the International Monetary Fund was injured in an explosion at the group’s offices in Paris.</s>One person has been arrested after a shooting at a high school in south-east France, authorities said Thursday.

An elite police operations unit was at the scene at the Alexis de Tocqueville school in the town of Grasse, the Prefecture of Alpes-Maritimes said.

CNN’s French affiliate BFMTV reported that a 17-year-old armed with a rifle, a handgun, a revolver and two grenades entered the high school at about lunchtime and opened fire at the headteacher.

Two people are injured, including the headteacher, according to BFMTV, and the armed individual has been arrested.

The school has been evacuated and is currently being searched, BFMTV said.

The French Interior Ministry tweeted that the security situation was ongoing and urged people to stay away from the area.

The Alpes-Maritimes Civil Protection agency also warned people to avoid the school and keep calm.

The French education ministry tweeted that schools in Grasse were in lockdown and appealed for students’ families to stay away. Education Minister Najat Belkacem was on her way to the scene, the ministry said.</s>Several people have been injured after shots were fired at a school in Grasse, southern France, on Thursday. A 17-year-old buy unknown to the authoriteis has been arrested.

Reports state that the gunman is armed with several weapons, including rifle, two handguns and atwo grenades.

It is still not clear whether the school headmaster was among the ones who were shot at School Alexis De Tocqueville.

The government has sent a nationwide terrorist attack warning to smartphones, and police ahave asked the local residents in the area to remain indoors.

A French interior ministry spokesperson said that a "public security event" was underway at the school. He also asked people around the area to follow security protocols given by the local authorities.

Grasse's mayor has said that another student, who is still armed, is on the run.

It is being believed that both the suspects intended to shoot a classmate in the school, according to reports.

Local officials have said that other school in the area have been put on a lockdown.

More details of the incident are awaited.</s>The French government has issued a terror warning following a Thursday shooting at a secondary school in Grasse, France.

Multiple people were injured in the shooting, which took place at the Alexis de Tocqueville A-level college, the Telegraph reported. Police responded at the school and arrested a man.

The same day in France, a letter bomb exploded at the International Monetary Fund office in Paris, injuring one employee.

This story is breaking and will be updated.</s>At least three people were injured after a shooting at a high school in the small southern French town of Grasse, and a 17-year old student carrying a rifle, handguns and grenades was arrested, the interior ministry and police sources added.

“The individual does not seem to be known by police,” one police source said.

A second source said it appeared that two students had opened fire on the headmaster, who had been injured, adding that the suspects did not seem to be militants.

“One of the two was arrested and the second fled. There was panic and the students took refuge in the (neighbouring) supermarket,” said the source.

Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told France Inter radio that three people had been injured, and advised families to remain patient as police took control to stabilise the situation. He had earlier told BFM TV eight were injured.

He said checks were underway on the possibility of a second assailant.

The incident comes with France in a state of emergency after several militants attacks over the last year. It is less than six weeks away from a presidential election in which security and fears of terrorism are among key issues.

An eye-witness student in the school interviewed by France Inter radio said the students had heard a bang and taken cover under the tables.

“I went to close the windows and saw a guy who looked at me in the eyes. He seemed to be a student and not very big. He shot in the air and ran away,” the student said without giving his name.

Local emergency services advised residents on Twitter to stay at home. The government launched its mobile telephone application warning of a “terrorist” attack.</s>France issued a terror attack warning on Thursday after a shooting at a school in the southern town of Grasse.

Reports said a suspect in possession of several weapons opened fire on the headmaster at the Alexis de Tocqueville school.

Police said one suspect had been arrested and a second person was possibly on the run.

Grasse town hall described the incident as between two students and said it was not terror related.

Christian Estrosi, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region around Grasse, told France Info radio the headmaster had been injured but his injuries were not life-threatening.

Le Monde reported that the suspect who was arrested was a 17-year-old pupil at the high-school. He was arrested at the school armed with several weapons and grenades. The paper said it was not clear whether those weapons were all operational. 



Residents in Grasse were advised to stay inside and the French government launched its mobile telephone application warning of a “terrorist” attack.

The interior ministry said on Twitter that a security operation was underway and it would make further announcements through social media.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow
A shooting at a school in Grasse, France, injures at least eight people. Authorities arrest a 17-year-old student.