The Prefect of Police, Laurent Nuñez, reassured that the injured officer “is not in danger”

On Thursday July 18, Gérald Darmanin communicated via X that a police officer had been attacked in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. According to the Minister of the Interior, the policeman was responding to a call to secure a store. The suspect, who was neutralized by the police, succumbed to his injuries, as reported by H24 MEDIA according to judicial sources. The incident took place on rue Vernet, near the Champs-Elysées, close to the headquarters of Louis Vuitton.

The police officer, wounded with a knife, is in critical condition but his life is not threatened, said Laurent Nuñez. He added that he had spoken with the officer before he was evacuated, and defended the use of the administrative weapon as “proportionate”, although the judicial inquiry would have to judge.

“No terrorist motivation at this stage”

Regarding the suspect’s motive, Laurent Nuñez said that “there is no terrorist motivation at this stage, nor any link with the Olympic Games”. The public prosecutor’s office has opened a criminal investigation for attempted murder of a police officer, entrusted to the 1st district of the judicial police.

According to Laurent Nuñez, employees of a store had reported an individual potentially armed with a knife. Police officers quickly set up a security perimeter.“The 27-year-old man fled before being caught by the officers.He pulled out a knife and attempted to use it twice against the officers.Despite the use of a gas can, he managed to stab an officer “in the neck”, said Laurent Nuñez.