Fire started by an individual in Angoulême town hall, man seriously injured by bullets fired by municipal police

The man entered the town hall with a can of petrol around noon, before being shot by municipal police officers present at the scene. He was evacuated and hospitalised, with a life-threatening prognosis.

A man was seriously injured by gunfire on Wednesday August 21 at noon in the town hall of Angoulême (Charente), after setting fire to the town hall premises, franceinfo learned from concordant sources, confirming information from the Free Charente.

“Around noon, the individual arrived in his vehicle. He went up quite quickly to the first floor of the town hall, to the elected officials’ office, where there were two assistants“, explained the department’s prefect Jérôme Harnois during a press briefing. The man spread gasoline and the two women were able to leave the room screaming, which alerted the municipal police. “They initially tried to subdue the individual with a tonfa but given the individual’s virulence, they used their firearms several times.”he continued, explaining that a judicial investigation has been opened.

According to a source close to the case, the individual was evacuated and hospitalized at the Poitiers University Hospital, with a life-threatening prognosis. The town hall was evacuated. A fire started in the town hall premises before being brought under control shortly before 2 p.m. There were no other injuries.

According to the same source, bomb disposal experts came to check the individual’s car, which was parked in front of the town hall. This man, of French nationality, is unknown to the justice system and the intelligence services. The bomb disposal experts went to his home at 4 p.m., before a search could be carried out at his home.

According to information from France Bleu La Rochelle, there was no more electricity in the area at 2 p.m., and no more telephone or internet in the town hall.

“Support for the mayor of Angoulême Xavier Bonnefont and elected officials after an individual set fire to the town hall before being neutralized by the municipal policewrote the resigning Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, on X. No injuries except the perpetrator. Thanks to the public officials for the rapid emergency interventions”.