what we know about the femicide which took place before the Montpellier court

A man killed his ex-wife in the court yard on Tuesday before committing suicide. Support for staff members has been put in place.

The events took place in the heart of Montpellier, Tuesday February 20. A 66-year-old woman was killed by her ex-husband in front of the city court. The man, aged 72, then committed suicide. The scene took place in front of numerous witnesses. Franceinfo looks at what we know about this femicide, the perpetrator and his victim.

Man shot his ex-wife before committing suicide

The former couple had been divorced for seven years. They “had an appointment before the family affairs judge for the purposes of liquidating their property interests, following their divorce pronounced in 2016″, explained on Tuesday, Fabrice Bélargent, public prosecutor of Montpellier, during a press briefing. The appointment was given at 2 p.m.

In front of the court, the 72-year-old man shot “twice” in front of the airlock where security checks are carried out. With a first shot, he “mortally wounded” in the head his ex-wife, “before turning the weapon against him”explained the magistrate.

Many witnesses saw the scene

Court staff members were “many to have seen the scene”, reported the Montpellier public prosecutor. The people present around the palace and in the audience rooms were “confined before being evacuated”, and access to the court, a building close to the city center, was blocked.

“The judicial community is in shock”insisted Fabrice Bélargent. Staff support has been put in place, with the launch of a medical-psychological unit. “As of tomorrow, the management of judicial services will set up the internal psychological support system of the Ministry of Justice”, he added. On the square in front of the palace, white sheets were hung behind a large white grille, to screen the bodies of the murderer and his victim, AFP journalists noted.

The man was not known to the police.

The identity of the perpetrator of the feminicide has not been revealed. According to the prosecutor, he was not known to the police or justice services. “The persons concerned were not summoned to court as part of domestic violence proceedings,” he added. “There were no pending proceedings for violence and no protection order.” The investigation was entrusted to the interdepartmental judicial police service of Hérault.

The Minister of Justice says he is “horrified”

The Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti, declared on “horrified” by this feminicide. “My thoughts are with the victim and her loved ones. All my support to the court staff,” he added.

Still on X, the socialist mayor of Montpellier, Michaël Delafosse, spoke of a “atrocious act” and assured his “support for hard-hit justice personnel”. “This femicide in our city is a stark reminder of the reality of violence against women that persists in our society”reacted in turn Flora Labourier, opposition municipal councilor and lawyer at the Montpellier bar.