French army chief resigns after shooting blunder

PARIS, France (AP) -- The head of France's army has resigned following a weekend shooting at a military show that injured 17 when real bullets were used instead of blanks, the French presidency said Tuesday.

President Nicolas Sarkozy accepted Gen. Bruno Cuche's resignation, Sarkozy's office said.

The defense minister, meanwhile, suspended the use of blank munitions at military shows for the public.

Investigators are looking into Sunday's display of hostage-freeing techniques at the Laperrine military barracks in southern France. Sarkozy pledged "consequences" following the shooting.

Most of those injured were civilians, and three were children. Hospital officials said Monday that none of the injuries appeared life-threatening.

The soldier who fired the bullets was taken into custody. Montpellier Prosecutor Brice Robin said the shooting appeared to be unintentional.

"According to his early statements, it appears that he made a mistake while loading his gun," Robin said Monday. "This act was absolutely not premeditated; I want to be clear about this point."

Without waiting for the results of the judicial and military investigations, Defense Minister Herve Morin ordered the army chief of staff to prepare punishments for those responsible, the ministry said in a statement, without saying what the sanctions would be.

It blamed the shooting at a parachute regiment's open day for the public on "serious failings."

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