France imposed an unprecedented terror alert in the southwest early March 20th as police searched for a suspected killer.

President Nicolas Sarkozy suspended his re-election campaign until at least Wednesday, as police probed the third deadly shooting in the Toulouse area in eight days by a mystery gunman using the same pistol and a stolen scooter. 

The person gunned down three children and a teacher at a Jewish school Monday.

Sarkozy said the terror alert in the region had been raise to "scarlet," its highest level, which allows widespread powers to implement sweeping security measures which could include shutting down trains and airports.

This rating is just before a formal state of emergency.