A man “drug-addicted and suicidal”, armed with a knife and who had dug in for three hours with employees in his parents’ pizzeria in Issy-les-Moulineaux, was arrested, and his hostages freed.

The four employees of the pizzeria, located a few meters from the Paris ring road, were freed by police shortly before 4:00 pm, a police source told AFP. “The intervention is over”, there is no “no casualties”, the source added.

“Suicide intent”

This man “with a drug-addicted profile according to a source close to the case, had locked himself in his parents’ restaurant, located a few meters from the Paris ring road, shortly before 1:00 pm. According to the police source, he had already “committed similar acts”. at his home in 2022 “with threats“suicide”.

There was no “clientele nor public” in the restaurant with him. Shortly after the arrival of the police, an AFPTV journalist saw the parents of the entrenched man, two visibly distraught 60-somethings, hand over the keys to the restaurant.

Staff from the BRI (Brigade de recherche et d’intervention, an elite unit of the Paris police) were quickly deployed to the scene, including a mediator, “engaged because of the suicide intent of the person concerned”said the police source. Negotiations were held before the police intervened. The man, aged around 35-40 according to a source close to the case, is not known to the law.

“Impressive”

Police had set up red and white ribbons to block access to a wide perimeter, and asked the many curious residents of nearby buildings to move away from their windows. According to AFP journalists on the scene, the iron curtain of the bright-red pizzeria was down. Several nearby restaurants were also closed. “I see him every night in passing, he’s not well. He’s got a drug problem, I think.”says Anthony, a 23-year-old student who prefers not to give his surname.

“I saw the police arrive earlier, it’s impressive… I’ve been in the restaurant before, there was no problem.”adds Monique Teichet, a retired local resident. “They have a good reputation, except for him. He’d already blown a fuse a few years ago, it’s sad”.the manager of another local pizzeria seemed to sympathize. In the street, a large number of policemen and policewomen were visible, some wearing helmets and carrying weapons, as well as numerous police cars and fire trucks. Around twenty officers, wearing orange armbands, were seen in front of the restaurant.

“Intervention in progress, let security and rescue forces work”wrote the Préfecture de Police on X, echoing a message from the town of Issy-les-Moulineaux (70,000 inhabitants), referring to a “incident in progress.