A naked man armed with a knife shot dead by the police in Brive: two investigations are open, here are the first elements given by the prosecutor

The perimeter around the collegiate church of Brive-la-Gaillarde, in the hyper-center of the Corrèze prefecture, was still cordoned off by the police in the early evening, Wednesday January 22, 2025. Around 2:30 p.m., a man burst into the monument, completely naked and armed with a knife. He allegedly behaved in a threatening manner during the intervention of the police and was shot dead.

The public prosecutor, Florence Leroux-Ghrist, held a press conference at 6:30 p.m. to present the facts. For the moment, the identity of the suspect shot dead by the police “remains to be confirmed”, report our colleagues from La Montagne. The prosecutor confirms the testimonies of several people who were in the college, namely that the suspect “self-harmed”. His motives remain to be clarified, but “no remarks with religious connotations” were made. An autopsy will be carried out on Friday January 24, 2025.

Two open investigations

The suspect drove into the center of Brive and abandoned his vehicle not far from the college. He allegedly came out naked, knife in hand, then entered the monument. Total confusion engulfed the city center as gunshots were heard from inside the collegiate church, and the police intervened in numbers to cordon off the area.

Two investigations have been opened by the Haute-Vienne judicial police. The first for “vehicle theft and attempted homicide of a person holding public authority”, the second for “intentional homicide by a person holding public authority”. This second investigation concerns the police officers who opened fire, and who will have to explain their actions.