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The French Government sent out an emergency terror alert following reports of gunmen at the school as terrified students hid in a nearby supermarket as shots were fired. Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said three people had been injured, and five other people were in shock after the teenager opened fire with the rifle at Tocqueville high school in the town of Grasse. Other schools in the area are on lockdown and residents warned to stay indoors. Herve Pizzinat, the head of the school, was injured along with two pupils identified solely as Julie, 16, and Akram, 17. Five others were hurt in the rush to escape. Mr Pizzinat was thought to be the main target, with the two students hurt by ricocheting bullets.

LIVE from the scene: Deadly school shooting in France Thu, March 16, 2017 A student armed with a rifle, two handguns and a grenade has been arrested following a shooting at a school in France after he had watched American-style mass shooting videos Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 15 Firefighters help a person to walk toward a vehicle near the Tocqueville high school in the southern French town of Grasse

Barbey - who is said to be obsessed by American high school shootings - was swiftly arrested by police. Checks are underway to establish whether there is a second gunman. Local media has suggested there may be another person "on the run". Mr Brandet said: "The first investigations suggest he had consulted American-style mass killings' videos.”

One of the two was arrested and the second fled. There was panic and the students took refuge in the neighbouring supermarket Police source

A police source said a 17-year-old student armed with a rifle, two handguns and two grenades has been arrested. One source said: "The individual does not seem to be known by police." A second source said it appeared that two students had opened fire on the headmaster, who had been injured, adding the suspects did not seem to be militants. The second source said: "One of the two was arrested and the second fled. There was panic and the students took refuge in the neighbouring supermarket.”

TWITTER Terror alert issued as gunman opens fire on school in France

A student at the school said pupils heard a bang and took cover under the tables. He said: "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 headmaster of the Alexia de Tocqueville high school is said to be among the wounded. Achraf, a student, said on BFM TV. "It was total panic. The gunshots were at 4 to 5 metres from where we were. We thought the gunman was coming towards us. We heard him shouting. "I just know the gunman by sight. He was gentle and low-key key, not a nasty guy."

AFP Frightened students were escorted from the school by police

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. Local emergency services advised residents on Twitter to stay at home. French news channel BFMTV says commandos from the elite Raid force have been sent to the school. The Government has launched its mobile telephone application warning of a "terrorist" attack.

GETTY Armed terror police are on scene after a school shooting in Grasse

AFP GETTY Armed police surrounded the school

TWITTER Armed police stormed the school

Despite sending out a nationwide terror alert, Grasse town hall says the shooting is not terror-related. Grasse town hall says the shooting is an incident between two students. The British Government in the UK has warned Britons travelling in the area to “take extra care and follow the advice of the local authorities”. An information hotline has been opened for parents of pupils. Emergency services including paramedics are at the scene. Residents have been warned to avoid the area. According to local press, the arrested gunman had researched The Columbine High School massacre.

NC The French Government has issued an alert over the shooting

12 people were killed and 21 injured in the mass shooting on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. France remains under a state of emergency following a string of deadly terror attacks in the past 18 months. France has some of the strictest gun laws in the world. French citizens are banned from owning automatic weapons, while many other guns require government authorisation and a medical exam, along with a permit from a hunting or sport shooting federation.

FACEBOOK The headmaster of the Alexia de Tocqueville high school is said to be among the wounded

The shooting comes hours after an explosion at the IMF and World Bank offices in Paris. One person was injured as they opened an envelope containing a “homemade device”. Police chief Michel Cadot said there had been some telephone threats made in recent days, but it was not clear if these were linked to the incident at the IMF's offices. Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve cut short a trip to the Somme following the shooting and Paris letter bomb blast.

TWITTER Other schools in the area are said to be on lockdown