Gunmen attacked a prison van carrying an inmate shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday (5/14) near Rouen in Normandy, France.
According to Le Parisien, under “currently unknown circumstances”, the van of the prison administration was attacked by four armed men, the occupants of two vehicles, who quickly abandoned and burned, fleeing in a third vehicle, which is currently unidentified.
According to Le Parisien, the attack took place on the A154 highway near the Incarville tollgate located in the town of Val-de-Roui, and at least two prison officers were killed and three others were seriously injured, while a prisoner escaped. to escape
A police source told AFP on Tuesday that “three prison officers were shot dead” during the “drive-by” attack. Le Parisien has yet to confirm this information.
A real commando ambushed a convoy of prison administration staff #Incarville. One person was injured in the retaliatory attack.
Fraternal support to all prison management staff facing this murder!… pic.twitter.com/c8HrkToZxP— Axel RONDE (@AxelRonde) May 14, 2024
Who is the wanted man?
The escaped prisoner, nicknamed “La Mouch”, was identified as 30-year-old Mohamed A. He was found guilty of theft and accused of attempted murder in St. Etienne de Rouvre.
A police source told Le Parisien that the wanted man is described as the leader of a drug gang. The source added that the man was not on the list of “prisoners of particular concern” (TPS).
A Paris court opened an investigation into the incident and assigned Junalco, a company specializing in organized crime. The “Eppervier” (Inspector) program was launched, and more than 200 police officers were mobilized.
“A shock to us all”
In his first statement on the X incident, French President Emmanuel Macron called the attack a shock for all of France.
“This morning’s attack that claimed the lives of prison officers has shocked us all. The nation stands with the families, the injured and their colleagues. We will not surrender,” the French president wrote to X.