Three gendarmes were killed and a fourth injured by a madman on the night of Tuesday 22 to Wednesday 23 December in an isolated hamlet near Saint-Just (Puy-de Dôme), while they were intervening for intra-family violence, the most tragic event of the year involving law enforcement.

The soldiers, who belonged to Ambert's company, were fatally injured by gunshot as they tried to rescue a woman who took refuge on the roof of a house, which was eventually brought to safety .

The suspect, a 48-year-old man, was still wanted in the early morning.

❗️ # PuyDeDôme Pain and deep emotion in our ranks after the death in service of 3 of our own during an intervention for domestic violence.


A 4th gendarme was seriously injured in the thigh. # Support for their families and loved ones. # You Protect

- National Gendarmerie (@Gendarmerie) December 23, 2020

Shortly after midnight, two gendarmes, alerted for acts of violence against a spouse, were targeted by gunfire after trying to approach the house where the threatened woman had taken refuge.

One of them died from his injuries while the second, injured in the thigh, was transported by firefighters to the Ambert hospital center.

After these first shots, the madman set his house on fire.

>> To read: Fight against violence against women: France still "far from the mark"

The gendarmes present in the vicinity of the house and seeking to know if the firefighters could engage to extinguish the fire were in turn targeted.

The man, entrenched at home and heavily armed, then made two new victims among the military, the Clermont-Ferrand prosecutor's office confirmed to AFP.

The firefighters were only able to approach the two men after several tens of minutes, the time to secure the perimeter.

Called to the scene of the tragedy, the Samu could do nothing to revive them.

The threatened woman brought to safety

"At least seven members of the GIGN are on site. The greatest precautions are taken with regard to the dangerousness of the individual," a source close to the investigation told AFP.

"It is a gendarmerie operation which is part of a framework of intra-family violence which has experienced consequences and which is still under development. Extra-departmental means are largely mobilized on this operation", for his hand informs the prefecture to AFP.

The threatened woman has been taken to safety and is currently being questioned in an attempt to shed light on the facts.

The shooter is said to be known for incidents related to child custody issues.

The fire is still not under control but does not threaten other homes.

This night, the @Gendarmerie lost three of its family, led by the service of France.


The Nation bows before their courage and commitment.

I extend my condolences to their families and comrades.


Everything is done to challenge the perpetrator.

pic.twitter.com/thn8aaygcO

- Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) December 23, 2020

The sub-prefect of this remote area in the south-east of Puy-de-Dôme as well as the mayor of Saint-Just, a small village of 157 inhabitants, are on site, sheltered.

Apart from terrorism, attacks with firearms against the police are relatively rare in France.

Last May, a madman entrenched at his home in Saint-Christoly-Médoc (Gironde) had fired a rifle at the gendarmes, slightly injuring one of them.

While the man was about to shoot again, with a sniper rifle, a GIGN gendarme had killed him with a "neutralization shot".

With AFP

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