France hostage situation: Armed teenager releases four people during standoff with police
Hostage-taker has refused to surrender to security forces in southern town of Blagnac
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A teenager released four women after holding them hostage in a convenience store near Toulouse in southern France for more than four hours on Tuesday, according to police.
The 17-year-old, who was arrested at a yellow vest protest in December, had made no demands before releasing the women from the building in Blagnac, a police source told Reuters.
He fired at least one shot over the heads of officers and had demanded a negotiator, the source said, adding that the incident did not appear to be terrorism-related.
The teen, who seized the hostages around 4.20pm, has not yet surrendered to authorities. According to France 3 Occitanie, the teenager is wearing a helmet and carrying a GoPro camera.
Officers from the elite RAID (Search Assistance Intervention Deterrence) police unit have been called to the scene to assist local officers.
Earlier, a police source told reporters the incident appeared to be a botched armed robbery.
“A security perimeter has been placed around the scene and people are being asked to avoid the area ... he should not be approached under any circumstances,” said a local police spokesman.
Officials have asked residents who inside a 300m security perimeter to remain at home, while those who wish to return to their homes inside the area will have to wait.
Shopkeepers located near the convenience store were also told not to leave their premises. Police evacuated some buildings in the area, while a police helicopter circled overhead.
“It’s worrying. It all happened so quickly,” said local resident Robert Texier, describing the area as a quiet neighbourhood on the banks of the Garonne River.
He said the convenience store has been run for decades by a woman and her daughter who live in the adjacent building.
Additional reporting by agencies
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments