A police officer died of his injuries during an anti-drug operation in Avignon (Vaucluse), this Wednesday, during which several police officers were targeted by gunfire, the Interior Ministry confirmed to

20 Minutes

, adding that the suspect was still at large.

According to the first elements of the investigation, this Wednesday around 6:30 pm, a police crew was "required for disruptors near a point of deal", explained the same source. On their arrival, "the crew would have noticed a transaction and tried to arrest several individuals engaged in the resale of narcotics", she added. One of the individuals "shot several times at the police officer, who fell to the ground," she continued, adding that the alleged perpetrator was still "on the run".

Come to offer his condolences to the colleagues and the family of this policeman father of two children, the Minister of the Interior spoke briefly on the spot after midnight.

“The fight against drug trafficking is like a war.

Today, one of these soldiers died as a hero ”, declared Gérald Darmanin, who assured him:“ His death is not in vain, we will continue the fight ”.

The victim is a 36-year-old man in civil partnership and father of two children

The police officers were in civilian clothes with police armbands on a very sensitive place in terms of narcotics ", also specified the union representative of the SGP-Police Grand Sud Unit Bruno Bartocetti:" They saw an individual flee on arrival. police and on the chase when he drew his gun and shot one of the officers in the abdomen and heart.

"

Despite the intervention of his colleagues and teams of firefighters, the victim, a 36-year-old man in civil partnership and father of two children, a member of the intervention brigade of the inter-departmental public security district of Vaucluse-Gard, is died of his injuries.

An act that will not go "unpunished"

“Everything is being done to ensure that this heinous act does not go unpunished,” Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Twitter.

The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin.

The seriously injured policeman died.

Faced with this terrible tragedy, we think of his family, his relatives and his colleagues.

The entire Interior Ministry is in mourning.

https://t.co/SLLoPrGQlJ

- Gerald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) May 5, 2021

“Faced with this terrible tragedy, we think of his family, his relatives and his colleagues.

The entire Ministry of the Interior is in mourning, ”the minister said on Twitter.

Still on Twitter, the SGP Police Unit union estimated that their colleague had been "cowardly shot in intervention".

"Nothing justifies such barbarism," also protested the Synergie Officiers union.

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  • Drug

  • Gerald Darmanin

  • Avignon

  • Police officer

  • Miscellaneous