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A motorcycle gunman opened fire on Monday in front of a Jewish school in the southwest French city of Toulouse, killing a father, his two sons and one other child, the prosecutor's office said.

Prosecutor Michel Valet said a 30-year-old man and his 3-year-old and 6-year-old sons were killed in the attack just before classes started at the Ozar Hatorah school. He said another child, between 8 and 10 years old, was also killed, and a 17-year-old seriously injured.

French authorities were stepping up security at all Jewish schools in France, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said, adding the suspect made his getaway on a dark-colored scooter.

The prosecutor said the suspect probably used two weapons, including one of a large caliber.

President Nicolas Sarkozy called the shootings an "abominable drama and a "frightening tragedy'.'

Sarkozy was heading to the site on Monday accompanied by Richard Prasquier, the president of CRIF, the umbrella group representing Jewish organizations, the president's office and CRIF said. The Education Minister Luc Chatel also accompanied the group.

Israel said it was "horrified" by the attack and a European rabbis' group denounced it as an "act of barbarity".

Parents of children at the school said a teacher and his two children were among the dead.

The prosecutor said that one person was seriously wounded in the attack, which came just days after two previous shootings in the region by a man on a motorbike who killed three soldiers.

So far there was no hard evidence of a link between the shootings, but Interior Minister Claude Gueant said that there were "similarities" and police said the same calibre weapon was used in all three attacks.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.