This man “with a drug addict profile” according to a source close to the case, and who according to a police source had already “committed similar acts” at his home in 2022 “with threat” of suicide”, holds “three or four” in the restaurant employees” but neither “clientele nor public”.
Hostage taking in progress at the gates of Paris: a man armed with a knife, “drug addict” and “suicidal”took refuge on Saturday in his parents’ pizzeria in Issy-les-Moulineaux, with several employees.
This man “with a drug addict profile” according to a source close to the case, and who according to a police source had already “committed similar acts” at his home in 2022 “with threat” of suicide”, holds “three or four” in the restaurant employees” but neither “clientele nor public”.
He locked himself in the pizzeria located a few meters from the Paris ring road, southwest of the capital, just before 1:00 p.m., this source also indicates.
Personnel from the BRI (Research and Intervention Brigade, an elite unit of the Parisian police) were deployed on site, including a mediator, “hired because of the person concerned’s desire to commit suicide”, specifies the police source. The role of mediators is to enter into negotiations with the madmen. The man, aged around 35-40 years old according to a source close to the case, is also not known to the courts.
“Impressive”
“I see him every evening in passing, he’s not well. He has a drug problem I think”says Anthony, a 23-year-old student, who prefers not to give his last name. “I saw the police arriving earlier, it’s impressive… I’ve already been to the restaurant, there was no problem”adds Monique Teichet, retired and resident of the neighborhood.
According to AFP journalists on site, the iron curtain of the pizzeria with its bright red storefront is down. Several nearby restaurants are also closed.
The police have installed red and white tape to block access to a large perimeter, and are asking the many curious residents of neighboring buildings to move away from their windows. In the street a lot of police officers are visible, some wearing helmets and armed, as well as numerous police cars and fire trucks. Around twenty agents, orange armbands on their arms, stand in front of the restaurant.
“Intervention in progress, let the security and emergency forces work”wrote the police headquarters onincident in progress.
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