Ilias Akoudad, 22, admits to having killed the brigadier but denies knowing that he was a police officer. Masson was killed at a deal point in the city center of Avignon, on May 5, 2021.

The accused denies having any knowledge of Éric Masson's role as a police Officer at the time of the events. “I didn’t know it was aPolice officer, I was thinking of a transaction,” he maintained.