2 investigations launched into shooting of knife-wielding man at Paris airport

By Shweta Desai

PARIS (AA) - Authorities in France have launched two separate investigations into the police interaction which led to the death of a knife-wielding homeless man at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport, media reports said Thursday.

The Bobigny prosecutor's office has entrusted the Inspectorate General of the National Police (IGPN) to probe "intentional homicide by a person holding public authority" and Border Police with "attempted intentional homicide on a person holding public authority," according to digital news site Actu.fr.

A homeless man, reportedly from the overseas territory of Martinique, carrying a knife was shot down early Wednesday by a border police officer at terminal 2F.

The man raised suspicions for his aggressive behavior after he brandished a knife at security forces, who were called to calm the situation.
CCTV footage obtained by BFMTV news shows police trying to talk to the man but instead of backing down, he started running at officers.

An officer fired a shot that wounded the man in the abdomen and he still tried to get up and throw his knife at police.

Police headquarters said on Twitter that “demonstrating composure, the police neutralized this morning a threatening individual in possession of a knife at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport.”

The man had no criminal record and was unknown to police, according to BFMTV news.