The attacker, employed at the Paris police headquarters since 2003, Thursday stabbed six of his colleagues, injuring four deadly, before being shot in the courtyard of the building.

STORY

The work must resume Friday morning at the Paris Police Headquarters, while many questions remain in the aftermath of the attack that hit the nerve center of the security forces. An administrative assistant, employed since 2003 and without history, stabbed four of his colleagues to death.

The assailant had converted to Islam 18 months ago, but there is nothing to determine for now whether this is a stroke of madness, a settlement of personal account or a a well-considered terrorist act. On the other hand, Europe 1 is now able to return to the unfolding facts.

A ceramic knife

The attack began on Thursday afternoon, on the first floor of the police headquarters, at the offices of the DRPP, the Paris Intelligence Directorate. The 45-year-old policeman on computer maintenance in that department suddenly pulled out a ceramic knife, with which he first killed three other officials in offices next to his own. Then, he fled by the C staircase of the prefecture where he met two policewomen, whom he also stabbed. One, from public safety, succumbed to his injuries, the other, a member of human resources, was hospitalized.

A ball in the head

Once downstairs, in the interior courtyard of the building, the attacker fell on a young peacekeeper. He sees the murderer, orders him to let go of his knife. But the assailant does not obey, so the young policeman fires with his machine gun. The killer collapses, hit by a bullet in the head.

This internal attack on the Prefecture, an unprecedented drama in the history of the Parisian police, claimed the lives of three police officers and an administrative agent. Two other people were injured, including the human resources member, operated Thursday night and in a state deemed "worrying". On the investigation side, a search was conducted at the shooter's home in Gonesse in Val-d'Oise. His wife was taken into custody.