A man suspected of extortion opened fire on several occasions on police officers, Saturday in Saint-Etienne, and was seriously injured by the response of the latter, we learned from concordant sources, confirming information from
France Blue
.
He was taken to hospital and his prognosis is in jeopardy.
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A second man, who accompanied him and also tried to escape the anti-crime brigade (Bac), around 4:45 p.m. in the city center, was arrested without being injured.
According to the prefecture of the Loire, the police services of the department had been alerted by victims of extortion attempts committed a little earlier, under the threat of a weapon, in the agglomeration and near a mall.
A unit of the Bac surprised the two young men, "
unfavorably known
", performing palpations on a new victim, according to the same source.
As he fled on foot, one of the attackers opened fire on the police, who retaliated.
He then fired at another patrol, whose members shot him several times, authorities said.
The police secured the shopping district in the city center where the events took place, by placing those present in shelters in shops.
The prefecture and the LR mayor of Saint-Etienne, Gaël Perdriau, welcomed the action of the police, supported by soldiers from the Sentinel device.
The prosecution entrusted the investigation to the judicial police.