“A national tribute has been decreed by the President of the Republic”, announces Gérald Darmanin

A national tribute will be paid to the three young police officers who died in a traffic accident on Sunday May 21 at Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North), announced Monday the Ministry of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin. “A national tribute was decreed by the President of the Republic”he said from Roubaix (North).

“We will see with the families so that a tribute is paid here in Roubaix”said the minister, adding that he would preside over the ceremony. “So that in all the police stations in France, in all the gendarmerie brigades, in all the prefectures and sub-prefectures and for all those who wish it in all the town halls of France, we can have a thought for these three young police officers”he added.

Four dead and two seriously injured

Elected officials and residents gathered Monday morning in front of the Roubaix police station, to pay tribute to the three police officers who worked there and who died on Sunday in a violent collision. Four people, including these three young officers, died and two passengers were seriously injured in the accident. According to the first elements of the investigation, the vehicle which struck that of the police officers was driving in the wrong direction. The driver of this second vehicle died in the accident, and the vital prognosis of a passenger remained committed late Sunday afternoon, according to Lille prosecutor Carole Etienne.

The accident took place while police-rescue officials were accompanying a victim, a minor, to the hospital, France Télévisions had learned on Sunday morning from a police source. “The days of the transported victim are no longer in danger”, said the director general of the national police, Frédéric Veaux. She had been transferred “in absolute urgency” Sunday morning to the Roger Salengro hospital in Lille.