Two police officers have been injured while attempting to arrest a suspected car thief near Cherbourg, France’s interior minister Gérald Darmanin said on Thursday. French media said the assailant struck the officers with a sword.
A third officer at the scene managed to neutralize the attacker.
On Thursday around 15:30pm local time (14:30 GMT), two police officers approached a man at service station in Tourlaville, Normandy. The man, suspected of car theft, reportedly resisted arrest and took a sabre from the car.
Two female officers were injured in the ensuing altercation, according to local media reports, with one struck on the chin and the other on the head. A third cop then reportedly opened fire on the attacker and the officers managed pinned the man to the ground.
🇫🇷 #Cherbourg : L’attaquant neutralisé au centre Leclerc de #Tourlaville. pic.twitter.com/x2Cx9uyVZs
— Alerte France (@AlerteFR) December 2, 2021
The suspect has been flown to hospital by helicopter, while the two injured officers were taken to a medical facility in Cotentin, Cherbourg. The extent of their injuries remains unclear.
The area has been cordoned off and detours have been put in place. Police said no terrorism motive is suspected for now.
Darmanin confirmed the incident in a tweet, noting that the two officer were injured when attempting to apprehend a car thief. The minister also reiterated his support for law enforcement.
