An attacker who was allegedly high on cocaine broke into the Qatar Embassy in Paris and killed a security guard on Monday morning, May 23.
The 38-year-old suspect was arrested by police officers after breaking into the embassy, located by the Arc de Triomphe, just before 8am.
The attacker tested positive for cocaine after admitting to punching the unidentified security guard and strangling him to death.
‘A man forced his way in and was challenged by the guard,’ said an investigating source. ‘A fight broke out, and the guard was severely wounded’.
‘He died on the spot following a savage attack,’ the source said. ‘The attacker is known to police for a variety of offences, and also suffers with psychiatric problems.
The security guard was pronounced dead at the scene and the 38-year-old attacker was immediately arrested by police who were called to the scene.
The arrested man, who is from the Paris suburb of Sevran, was taken to a secure police station in the French capital, where he underwent a medical examination.
It was gathered that police had to seek diplomatic permission to enter the Embassy, which slowed their arrival at the scene.
‘They were based a few doors away, but like the other emergency services, including medics, they had to follow diplomatic protocol,’ said the investigating source.
The attacker, who has not been identified, was known for minor domestic crimes, but had no links with terrorism, said the source.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that an inquiry had been launched into an alleged murder at the usually highly secure embassy.
‘I can confirm that an investigation was opened today on the count of murder,’ the prosecutor’s office said, adding that it was not clear yet if a weapon had been used.
‘The circumstances of the death of the guard are yet to be determined precisely.’
Today’s incident at the Embassy follows a series of bomb, gun, and knife attacks carried out by Islamic State and al-Qaeda operatives in France.
Back in 2015, the deadliest single terrorist attack ever in the country was recorded when 130 people were killed in Paris.
Earlier in the year, two Paris-born gunmen linked to Al-Qaeda broke into the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine, leaving 17 people dead inside and three outside.
