The counter-terrorism unit of the French Gendarmerie (GIGN) on Wednesday killed a man in Douvres, in the department of Ain, after he reportedly killed five relatives, a source close to the case said. Three children are among the victims.
According to the regional news site, Le Progrès, the 22-year-old man had been holding members of his own family hostage in the house in Douvres since Tuesday evening. The gendarmerie arrived on the scene at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday and attempts were made to negotiate with the man, who was holed up in the house.
The suspect was eventually killed by the GIGN on Wednesday afternoon.
The man is said to have killed five members of his family: three children – his sister, half-sister and half-brother – his father and his stepmother, all of whom were found dead in the home.
The prosecutor’s office has yet to confirm this information, and an investigation has been launched.
Access to the village of Douvres, some 50 kilometers northeast of Lyon, was closed almost all morning on Wednesday.
