[ad_1]
The woman had fled to the roof of her home in a remote town in central France that night. She alerted police through a friend that she had been beaten by her new partner, the prosecutor reported. The house was on fire. The officers died while trying to save the woman. The perpetrator was found to “cause a massacre,” the investigator said. He spoke of a “real war scene”: hundreds of cartridges were found at the crime scene.
The severe attack just before Christmas caused consternation and sympathy in the country. “The nation shares the pain of the families,” said Head of State Emmanuel Macron via Twitter. To protect citizens, the security forces risked their lives: “They are our heroes,” said the president. The murdered gendarmes were 21, 37 and 45 years old.
The three murdered police officers wanted to help a woman who was threatened by her husband. Image: BROCHURE (GENDARMERIE NATIONALE)
The suspect was found dead a kilometer and a half from his home. Suicide is assumed, so the prosecutor. Among other things, an assault rifle was found and the suspect had four knives on his belt. The 48-year-old gunman fled after setting fire to his house in the small town of Saint-Just, southeast of the city of Clermont-Ferrand. The security forces used more than 300 agents and a helicopter in the night search for the fugitive. The woman is safe.
Apart from the terrorist attacks, it is one of the worst incidents in the history of the security forces, said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who seemed depressed. “We owe them respect and recognition.” Four children are now orphans, he said, referring to the families of those killed.
The alleged perpetrator had a custody battle over a child from a previous relationship, investigator Maillaud said. Until now, the violence between the man and his new partner was unknown. The man with military training was a shooter and had a “highly disturbing profile,” according to the investigator. “Perpetrators of domestic violence are a danger to society,” Interior Minister Marlene Schiappa said on BFMTV.
The wounded policeman was taken to a hospital. The gendarmerie in France belongs to the army, but it assumes police functions and is therefore also subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior.
In France, intimate partner violence is a sad ongoing problem. It was only in the summer that parliament passed a new law allowing a relaxation of medical confidentiality to protect against domestic violence. Doctors or medical personnel can report suspected acts of violence to the authorities if they suspect that there is an imminent threat.
Attacks on police, rescuers and bus drivers have sparked debate in France in recent months. Prime Minister Jean Castex condemned the violent attacks on law enforcement officers in his government statement in the summer and assured the police of his support.
