By May 17 (UPI) — French police early Friday fatally shot an armed suspect about to set fire to a synagogue in the city of Rouen, officials said.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced the police action in a statement online.
“In Rouen, national police officers neutralized early this morning an armed individual clearly wanting to set fire to the city’s synagogue,” he said on X. “I congratulate them for their responsiveness and courage.”
Mayor Nicola Mayer-Rossignol of the northern French city located about 84 miles north of Paris said no one was harmed aside from the suspect.
He said his thoughts were with the city’s Jewish community.
“Through this attack and this attempted burning of the synagogue of @Rouen, it is not only the Israelite community that is affected,” he added on X. “The entire town of @Rouen is bruised and is shocked.”
Elie Korchia, president of the Central Consistory of France, praised police for their response to the incident.
“On this Shabbat eve, an armed individual who wanted to set fire to the consistorial synagogue of Rouen was neutralized by the police, who were nearby,” he said on X. “Thank you to our law enforcement who avoided a new anti-Semitic tragedy in our country.”
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