France’s national police force said Thursday that three officers had been shot dead and a fourth wounded in central France.
The incident took place in the village of Saint-Just in the district of Puy-de-Dome during the night into Wednesday.
The officers were shot by a 48-year-old man as they attempted to rescue a woman amid a domestic violence incident.
The suspected gunman was later found dead.
What happened in Puy-de-Dome?
The woman had allegedly taken refuge on the roof of a house, French broadcaster BFM TV reported.
Police approached the house shortly after midnight and were targeted by gunfire. The gunman initially shot and killed one officer and wounded another, before setting fire to the house.
Two further officers, responding to the scene, were then fired on and killed, according to the Clermont-Ferrand prosecutor’s office.
BFM TV named the dead officers as Cyrille Morel, aged 45, Remi Dupuis, aged 37 and Arno Mavel, aged 21.
Officials said the woman had been safely rescued. At least seven elite tactical police officers remained on site early on Wednesday.
“The greatest precautions are being taken with regard to the dangerousness of the individual,” a source close to the investigation told AFP.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin later announced the suspected gunman’s death on Twitter, calling him “a madman.”
Le forcené a été retrouvé mort.
Je me rends sur place. https://t.co/0459PnFM7V— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) December 23, 2020
