16 March 2017•Update: 16 March 2017
By Hajer M’tiri
PARIS
A French prosecutor has ruled out any terror motive in Thursday’s high-school shooting in the south of the country.
At least eight people were injured when a gunman opened fire at the Alexis de Tocqueville high school in the southern town of Grasse, a spokesman for the country’s Interior Ministry said.
The school’s principal and two other teachers suffered gunshot wounds. Another five people were injured during a stampede following the gunfire, according to a ministry statement.
Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said the attacker -- a 17-year-old student attending the high school -- had been arrested. It is not thought he was known to police or the intelligence services.
Grasse prosecutor, Fabienne Atzori later excluded any terrorist involvement and said the motives of the shooter "seem to be related to the bad relations he has with other students" at the school.
"No element, no link can be envisaged with a terrorist group," Atzori added.
Several media outlets reported the youth was armed with a rifle, two handguns and two grenades.
Brandet also said there was no confirmation of reports that a second individual had been involved in the attack and was now on the run.
The attack occurred at around 1.30 p.m. (1230GMT).
France's RAID special police unit was immediately dispatched to the school.
Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem visited the scene.
