Police in France have shot dead a Portuguese emigrant who resisted arrest after allegedly “threatening several people with a knife”.
The 48-year-old man, who according to reports suffered from psychiatric problems, refused to leave his vehicle and rammed several police cars after officers ordered him to get out.
As he tried to escape, officers fired several shots as a video uploaded to YouTube shows.
The drama unfolded on Saturday afternoon after the man apparently threatened several people with a knife in the town of Montargis.
By the time police arrived, the man had fled the scene but witnesses memorised his licence plate.
The man was tracked down to the nearby town of Châlette-sur-Loing where he apparently lived with his mother, who is said to have been on holiday in Portugal.
The video shows officers pointing guns at the man as he sat at the wheel of a Renault Scenic.
After he refused to leave his vehicle, officers started to smash its windows.
When he tries to drive away, several agents started shooting repeatedly into the rear windscreen of the car.
The émigré managed to drive up a grassy bank, but died from his wounds soon afterwards.
According to a source cited by the Daily Mail, he was “known to have a criminal record, and suffered from psychiatric problems. There are claims that he was a convicted murderer who threatened to let off bombs.”
Despite this, investigators have ruled out any links to terrorism.
Prosecutors have launched an enquiry. The armed officers who shot the man will be placed under formal investigation, and may face charges if they are deemed to have used unnecessary force.
