At least four people, including three children, were killed, and several other people were injured when a man on a scooter opened fire outside the Ozar Hatoraha Jewish School in Toulouse in south western France on Monday.

President Nicolas Sarkozy cancelled other appointments and was on his way to Toulouse on Monday morning, accompanied by Education Minister Luc Chatel and the president of the French Jewish association.

This follows the killing of three soldiers in two separate shootings in the same region last week by a man who escaped on a scooter. Police have confirmed the same gun was used in both of these shootings.