A French police officer and his wife, who works at the interior ministry, have been stabbed to death at their home in the Paris suburb of Magnanville, officials say. The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility.
The incident began at around 8:30 p.m. local time on Monday when a man approached the officer outside his house in Magnanville and stabbed him multiple times, killing him. He then entered the officer’s home and took the victim’s wife and child hostage.
Hostage negotiators were able to make contact with the suspect several times, but the negotiations ultimately failed, after which the elite police unit RAID stormed the residence, said Pierre-Henry Brandet, a spokesman for the interior ministry.
When officers entered the house, the hostage-taker was shot and killed by police and the woman was found dead, though it was not immediately clear at what time she had been killed. The couple’s 3-year-old son was found unharmed.
The police officer was identified by French media as 40-year-old commander Jean-Baptiste Salvaing, while the wife was identified by the office of President François Hollande as an employee of the interior ministry. Her name was not immediately disclosed.
In a brief statement on early Tuesday morning, the Islamic State-affiliated news agency Amaq claimed responsibility for the attack. It provided no further details, but the AFP news agency cited sources as saying that the suspect had said he was acting on behalf of the Islamic State.
President Hollande strongly condemned the “heinous act” and extended his condolences to the family and friends of the victims. His office said he will convene a meeting on the killings at 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve will travel to Magnanville, which is located in Yvelines and about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest of Paris.
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