Mohammed Merah was shot in the head by a police sniper as he attempted to flee through a window, anti-terrorist prosecutors said on Thursday.
During the dramatic raid that led to his death on Thursday morning, Merah shot at police more than 30 times. Prosecutors said they did "everything we could" to arrest him alive.
"We had to get him in the end. What else can we tell you," prosecutor Francois Molins said during a press conference.
Prosecutors confirmed Merah was behind the three attacks that killed seven people in the region and had a stash of weapons.
Molins also confirmed that Merah filmed all three of his killings, including the murder of a three soldiers and the killing of four people at a Jewish school.
They said five police officers were injured in the operation. Prosecutors added that the 23-year-old may have become radicalised in prison, telling journalists that although he was known as a petty criminal "it was during his time in prison that he decided to read the Koran”.
The student, who is of Algerian extraction, believed to be behind a series of shooting sprees was earlier quoted as saying he "wants to die with a gun in his hand" as police surrounded his flat.
Merah, who claimed to have links to an al-Qaeda fringe group, had earlier indicated he would surrender.
It was also reported that Merah had previously attempted to join the French military but was turned down because of his alleged criminal record.
Merah's brother is still in custody and being questioned by French police.