On 23 December 2020, a mass shooting occurred in Saint-Just, Puy-de-Dôme, France. Three members of the National Gendarmerie were fatally shot, and a fourth was injured.
| 2020 Saint-Just shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Saint-Just, Puy-de-Dôme, France |
| Date | December 23, 2020 ~00:00 |
Attack type | Mass shooting |
| Weapons |
|
| Deaths | 4 (including the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 1 |
| Assailants | Frédérik Limol |
| Motive | Domestic violence |
Incident
editShortly after midnight on 23 December 2020, two gendarmes went to a residence in response to domestic violence. The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Frédérik Limol, without warning fired shots killing a gendarme and injuring another. After Limol set his house on fire, he then shot and killed two more responding gendarmes.[1] According to the Mayor of Saint-Just, François Chautard, Limol's house was destroyed by the fire.[2][3] Limol crashed his car into a tree; he was found dead inside the car, having apparently committed suicide.[4]
Victims
editThe victims are assigned to National Gendarmerie, which is responsible for smaller towns and rural and suburban areas. The officers killed are identified as Cyrille Morel, age 45; Remi Dupuis, age 37; and Arno Mavel, age 21.[5][6][7]
Perpetrator
editThe shooter was identified as 48-year-old Frédérik Limol, a former soldier. He was heavily armed at the time of the incident, and attacked the officers with a military-style semi-automatic rifle. Limol escaped from the attack scene and committed suicide while crushing with his car against a tree.[8]
Reaction
editThe President of France Emmanuel Macron posted on his Twitter account, "They were intervening to rescue a woman who was the victim of domestic violence in Puy-de-Dôme, three gendarmes were killed, a fourth wounded. The Nation joins in the pain of families. To protect us, our forces act at the risk of their lives. They're our heroes."[9] France's Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin said, "Last night, the National Gendarmerie lost three of its own, three of its soldiers led by the French service."
References
edit- ^ "Puy-de-dome:Trois gendarmes tues, un quatrieme blesse par un forcene". www.bfmtv.com.
- ^ "EN DIRECT - GENDARMES TUÉS DANS LE PUY-DE-DÔME: LE FORCENÉ EST TOUJOURS EN FUITE". www.bfmtv.com.
- ^ "Three French police officers shot dead after responding to a domestic violence incident". cnn.com. 23 December 2020.
- ^ France police shootings: Three officers killed by gunman who is later found dead
- ^ Qui sont les trois gendarmes tués par un forcené dans le Puy-de-Dôme ?
- ^ "France: 3 police officers shot dead". dw.com.
- ^ Breeden, Aurelien (23 December 2020). "3 Police Officers in France Are Killed After Responding to Domestic Abuse Report". The New York Times.
- ^ Ex-soldier Frédéric Limol kills three French police in gun battle near Clermont-Ferrand
- ^ "Emmanuel Macron's Twitter Account". Twitter.com.