Angoulême: what we know about the man who set fire to the town hall

A man entered the town hall of Angoulême with a can of gasoline to set it on fire this Wednesday, August 21, 2024 à midday. The suspect was arrested. neutralized by the police, his injuries led to serious injuries. his vital prognosis.

A man tried to set fire to the Angoulême town hall this Wednesday, August 21 at midday. Armed with a can of gasoline, the individual entered the building and “headed towards the elected officials' office to pour the flammable liquid there. The suspect was, however, neutralized by the police after city hall employees raised the alarm. The municipal police officers were able to intervene quickly, but they had to use a firearm to stop the arsonist. The suspect who was shot was taken care of and evacuated by emergency services, his life is in danger according to Charente Libre and franceinfo. Apart from the suspect, no one was injured.

The events took place around 12:30 p.m.: the suspect parked his vehicle in front of the town hall before forcing his way into the building where he spilled gasoline. Witnesses employed at the town hall describe a “man in military fatigues, quite sturdy, with a can” and indicate that “the fire alarm went off less than five minutes after” his arrival. “There was smoke from the side of the elected officials' building and gunshots were heard, without knowing whether it came from the police or the gentleman in military uniform” added the witnesses to Charente Libre.

A suspect "unknown to the police"

An investigation was opened and entrusted to the Limoges organized and specialized crime division, jointly seized with the Angoulême judicial police. The suspect is a 46-year-old man of French nationality and “completely unknown to the specialized services” specified the prefect of Charente, Jérôme Harnois, in a press briefing at the beginning of the afternoon. According to the sequence of events, the police officers alerted by the assistants who witnessed the scene first tried to “control the individual with a tonfa, and given the virulence of the individual, used their firearm several times”. The prefect and mayor of Angoulême, Xavier Bonnefont, said the man had managed to set the fire but that the fire was “quickly” brought under control by firefighters. The area around the building is cordoned off and residents are advised to avoid the area. The mayor of Angoulême said that the “security perimeter is maintained around the town hall”until further notice”.

After the assailant was arrested, bomb disposal experts intervened to inspect his vehicle parked in front of Angoulême town hall. La Charente Libre reports that Arabic inscriptions repeating the prayer for the dead are visible on the hood of the car. After the bomb disposal experts, it is the police who analyze the vehicle in search of clues. A search of the suspect's home was also carried out to better understand the profile of the assailant and his motivations, which, at this stage, are still unclear.

Latest updates

20:53 – Residents of the assailant's neighborhood shocked

Residents of the Ma Campagne neighborhood, where the assailant lived, describe him as a “discreet and friendly” man, they say they are “stunned”, according to La Charente Libre.

19:50 – A pharmacist testifies

Interviewed by BFMTV, a pharmacist who witnessed the scene testifies: “everyone was leaving the town hall, we could see that something was happening. Two women told us they saw a man returning to the military,” she explains.

18:53 – Gérald Darmanin gives his support to the mayor

The resigning Minister of the Interior reacted on X, formerly twitter. He supports the mayor of the city.

17:58 – The attacker's car examined

The bomb disposal experts intervened in the afternoon to inspect the vehicle of the suspect who set fire to the Angoulême town hall. Once the car has been inspected and secured, law enforcement can then examine the vehicle in turn for any clues that could provide more information about the assailant, his motivations and the plans he had in mind. The suspect's home was also searched in the same vein.

17:16 – The suspect did not know the municipal assistants present during the assault

Rather in the afternoon the hypothesis that the attacker of the Angoulême town hall could have targeted one of the municipal assistants was raised by the Charente Libre and relayed in this live broadcast. But the latest information from the local newspaper and the beginnings of the investigation finally seem to indicate that the man did not know either of the two women present during the assault. The suspect's motives remain unknown at this stage.

16:35 – The suspect was behaving strangely this morning according to neighbors

According to several neighbors of the assailant who tried to set fire to the Angoulême town hall contacted by Charente Libre, the suspect “was not his usual self” this Wednesday. “He came down like a madman, with spray paint in his hands,” noted a local resident. The man moved into his home on Place Hildesheim last fall and had cordial relations with his neighbors. Several people say they saw him “particularly angry” according to the local newspaper

15:45 – Four offices affected by the fire.. Details from the mayor of Angoulême

At least two assistants of elected officials were present in the town hall of Angoulême, and more particularly in the office targeted by the attacker, during the assault on the building at midday. According to the mayor of the city, the employees described the “black look” of the assailant. The mayor re-examined the sequence of events on Franceinfo and indicated that the man, although he did not cause any injuries, did indeed spread gasoline in the premises despite the presence of employees and managed to start a fire that affected four offices of the town hall.

15:41 – The suspect “forced his way” into Angoulême town hall

According to the mayor (Horizons) of Angoulême, Xavier Bonnefont, the man who set fire to the town hall “managed to enter [the premises] by forcing its way in”.

15:24 – An employee of the Angoulême town hall could be the suspect's target

The assailant who set fire to the Angoulême town hall is said to have targeted in particular one of the two assistants from the elected officials' office present at the time of the incident, according to La Charente Libre, which also suggests a “family dispute”. according to initial evidence. The suspect's motives are still unclear at this time.

15:13 – The vital prognosis of the suspect involved

Only the man who set fire to the Angoulême town hall was injured. The fire, which was quickly brought under control, caused no casualties, but the suspect was hit by police gunfire before being arrested. Faced with the “virulence” of the man, the municipal police opened fire, the prefect of Charente said during a press briefing. According to information from franceinfo, the suspect was taken care of and hospitalized, but his life is in danger.

15:08 – A search of the suspect's home

The suspect of French nationality is 46 years old and is not known to the police, the prefect of Charente said. An investigation has been opened after the attempt to set fire to Angoulême town hall and a search of the individual's home is carried out, reports BFMTV. His vehicle, parked in front of the town hall, must be inspected by bomb disposal experts.