A heartbreaking and astonishing act of courage. Peace and comfort to the family and friends of Lieutenant-Colonel Beltrame.
27
Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame is a true hero. Brave and determined to help save lives in a situation he knew to be extremely dangerous. His courage and dedication to helping others will be small comfort to the grief his family, friends and colleagues feel now but may his heroism help them in the future as they remember him with love and pride.
11
On one side the islamists hide their women and worst in Syria and elsewhere...and on the other side this policeman sacrified his life for a woman he has never seen... What bravery ! Thank you to be an example .RIP Arnaud Beltrame
34
A new normal for not only France but for Europe and North America !!
5
The lieutenant-colonel of the police, Arnaud Beltrame, exchanged himself for a woman that the attacker in the Super-U market was using as a human shield. His act probably saved a lot of lives. He is in critical condition in the hospital now. Absolute respect.
16
Lieutenant-colonel Arnaud Beltrame has died of his injuries in yesterday's hostage-taking incident in Trèbes, France. RIP.
13
A handgun and a knife--four murdered, four too many. Imagine if he had had an automatic weapon--forty or more probably.
14
I read about the undeniable bravery of Lt. Col Beltrame, and I cannot help but contrast him with American chicken hawks who avoid military service and then send others to die in battle.
The world needs more like Mr. Beltrame and fewer craven chicken hawks willing to place others in the line of fire.
21
Horrible, of course. But is this less horrible than the bombs raining down from Assad's warplane on innocent civilians all over Syria? Assad has murdered tens of thousands, tortured untold numbers. BUT, Macron's government SUPPORTS ASSAD as it supported his father. French warplanes bomb Syrians fighting against Assad. So should the French be surprised if now and again, Syrians and their allies bring the war home to France? Remember when France's imperial army waged war against the Algerian independence movement, terrorizing the country, in a war they eventually and deservedly lost. Now France supports the worst terrorist dictator in the Middle East and the French are surprised that the terror comes home to France. How is this different from the terror the French waged in Algeria?
3
You saying there can still be shooting's in a country that made firearms illegal. all the liberals will be shocked. When guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns!
5
That said, it's the Jews who are leaving France and the Muslims who are immigrating.
Bonne chance.
Enjoy.
9
TO ALL other FAITHS this person does not represent the Muslim community. He is part of a small racist group MOST Muslim do not follow there rules.ISALM is the same doctrine the Christian and Jewish follow.
9
Gérard Collomb reminds one of Polish WWII hero Witold Pilecki
whoi was a Polish cavalryman, intelligence officer, and patriot. He infiltrated Auschwitz and lived within undetected by Nazi guards as a spy. He was tried as a traitor before a Post WWII show trial and hung.
Two extraordinary men who were willing to die to save the lives of others, innocents.
5
Colonel Beltrame was not a police officer but member of the 'Gendarmerie' and I am sure he likes to be remembered as such
15
My heart goes out to the French people, as they have dealt with repeated attacks from erstwhile "soldiers" of the Islamic State. These deluded young men have been wrongly led to believe that they are serving Islam by wreaking violence; nothing is farther from the truth. The leaders of this violent faction prey upon young men with undeveloped powers of decision-making and impulse control (i.e, immature development of the cerebral cortex) to "act now" to throw off oppression. If these young men could think rationally, they would realize they are not oppressed, but rather, they are fortunate to be a part of French society, with the privileges it bestows, even if they feel there is discrimination and hardship for them. There are avenues to deal with such problems in France; this is not so in many of the Islamic countries from which their families emigrated to France.
Gendarme Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame is to be commended for his selfless actions on behalf of the hostages, and in assistance of his colleagues. To offer one's life in place of another takes great courage and dedication to the position he holds. I truly wish Lt. Col Beltrame a full and complete recovery, and know that his sacrifice is recognized by his superiors and his country. The world has noticed his heroism as well.
14
Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame is a true hero. I hope his family receives support and acknowledgement for the sacrifice he made. His and the other victims' deaths are a tragedy. I pray for France and hope that whatever comes of this -- will support his courage and the values he obviously upheld.
30
I got heard on the news that the valiant police officer who traded places with a hostage left his cell phone on when he entered the grocery store so his fellow officers could monitor the shooter's movements and conversation.
WOW - a copper who is brave AND smart AND savvy - I love this guy. I also heard he suffered very serious injuries. I hope and pray for him and his family that he will pull through. I love the courage of these coppers!!!
49
I have just learned that the police officer has succumbed to his injuries last night. Heartfelt condolences go to the family of the fallen hero.
26
My heart is breaking for the family, friends and fellow officers of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame. Deepest condolences to them and to the incredible citizens of France.
10
Well, France has almost all of the "gun control" reforms demanded by the progressives. The only steps they have left is requiring guns to remain at the ranges and the complete disarmament of the citizenry. Neither of those will stop this either.
17
You are incorrect. Many families in rural France have had shotguns and rifles for hunting for generations.
32
Fill in the blanks:
2017 Americans killed by guns:________
2017 French killed by guns:___________
Divide each figure by respective populations.
See?
30
John from Sacramento, how many students are killed at school every year by guns in france vs the us? Just wondering since you seem to know everything.
72
A terrible thing. But keep it in context. This is extremely rare over here. You have one of these almost daily in the US. The fact that it isn't of islamic fundamentalist origin shouldn't help you sleep better.
57
Agnostique - with all due respect, even though what occurred yesterday is in deed a rare occasion in Europe, it does not lessen the pain, anguish and sorrow the families and friends of the deceased are feeling. At least for today and the next few days, could that at least be the focal point of this madness and insanity?
3
We haven't seen anything like the Paris or Nice massacres that you had in France last year committed by Islamic extremists and we intend to keep it that way. It's time to slow down immigration and especially from Muslim countries. We don't want what's been happening in England and France to happen here.
3
Wait I thought that people didn't have guns over there?...I am confused...no one should be killed with a gun if there aren't any guns.
13
Who ever said that? There are guns in every country, just not nearly as many as in the US.
28
Belgium has lax gun laws.that’s where French Islamic terrorists get their guns.
13
Actually, some of the guns in the Bataclan attack in Paris came from Florida. This is a major problem for other countries throughout the world. The lack of legislation and proper gun control laws in the US makes it possible for a lot of people who should not be able to get guns to procure them in certain US states.
10
Charlie Hebdo was a French satirical magazine which drew caricatures of people to get people to question their assumptions. It used caricatures to criticize all major religions. Muslims across the world, grew angry at Charlie Hebdo for its criticism of Islam. French Muslims attacked the magazine, killing 12 and wounding 11. The western press showed photos of throngs of Frenchmen marching against the attack, carrying signs saying they were Charlie Hebdo. Much of the media neglected to show photos of the mass demonstrations held around the Muslim world which were against any criticism of Islam. Those demonstrators carried signs stating “We are NOT Charlie Hebdo”.
The BBC polled British Muslims after the attack. The results were disturbing. Only 68% of British Muslims agreed with the statement “Attacks on the publishers of images of the Prophet are never justified". Only 49% of British Muslims agreed with the statement "Muslim clerics who preach that violence against the West can be justified are out of touch with mainstream Muslim opinion.”
20% of British Muslims agree with the statement “Western society is incompatible with Islam”.
When asked if the statement " If someone I knew from the Muslim community was planning an act of violence I would report them to the police”, applied to them, 5% actually told a pollster that it did not. (and another 1% said they were not sure.)
We need to be very careful about whom we allow into our country.
52
As someone who knows UK and France pretty well (having lived 30 years in one and 28 in another), I don't recognise the reality of those 2 countries in this comment. Would gladly welcome Anne to Europe one day and take time to show her around and introduce her to some of the communities she so readily writes about.
And here is a quote on that BBC site about that survey, actually pointing out the methodological flaws. It's from one of the pollsters themselves: "None of the people I polled who responded to the question with the 'some sympathy' answer supported jihadis," they write. "One woman gave me thoughtful, considered answers to every question. She thought that David Cameron would probably be right to bomb Syria, and that Muslims did have a responsibility to condemn terrorist attacks carried out in the name of Islam. But she also had some sympathy with young British Muslims who joined fighters in Syria. 'They're brainwashed, I feel sorry for them,' she said. And so I ticked the box, 'I have some sympathy for young British Muslims who go to join fighters in Syria.'"
3
I live near Trèbes and went over to the supermarket. The people gathered on the perimeter were livid at the shooter. Most were immigrants, many of the women wore veils, and they worried that one hot-headed young man seeking glory was once again besmirching their community.
This is a place where kids play in parks unattended (well, attended by the community, because everybody watches out for them), and where little old ladies walk down the street, cane in one hand and handbag dangling from the other. I have never lived somewhere (and I've lived in 3 countries) where I've felt as safe as here.
This guy was like so many school shooters, except here, if you yell something about Islam, you aren't just a petty criminal doing another stupid thing but you become a fancy terrorist whose name will be known internationally. It's PR. Another difference with US shooters: he had a handgun, not an assault weapon.
9
We are aware we won't ever live like before with a certain carefreeness. We are wondering until when that will last. We must live with it.
Nevertheless, we are not yet to be armed when we get out and we don't ask to our schoolteachers to have a gun when they do the class.
French citizen I trust in the French police and our intelligence service. And I greet them this evening and I think strongly for the gendarme who went hostage instead of a woman, and injured seriously.
In despite of all events these last months, France remains a safe and sane country.
38
Thank you for pointing up the reality of living in France. We do not live in fear and we have confidence in our institutions to protect us. The way this latest atrocity played out and the heroism of the gendarme who tragically died only hours ago is a confirmation of this. A useful corrective to another comment I just read (from Anne in Seattle) who seems to be projecting a paranoia onto France (and the UK while she's at it) which, as someone who commutes between those 2 countries, I just don't see (except in a tiny ideologically driven fringe of society, which has always existed and always will, but - certainly in the 2 countries in question - is completely marginal).
4
How brave of the officer to take the place of the hostage. A genuine hero! I'm wishing Arnaud Beltrame a speedy and complete recovery.
2
No, No, No.
Japan is a safe and sane country. A country that doesn't care for the safety of its citizens and wants to see its own people, culture and traditions replaced is not the definition of sane to me. You don't have caring leaders, you have leaders who are greedy and who stick their noses too much into the Middle East. The fact that bringing in millions of foreigners to Europe without having a vote on the issue should be extremely worrying. Europe will continue seeing terrorist attacks while homogeneous countries like Japan and nationalistic countries like Singapore will see none because Europe does not value harmony.
This will be more fuel for Trump and his new henchman, Bolton. ISIS overseas and the NRA in America. That is called "lose, lose."
I send my deepest sympathies to both countries.
13
Trump and his voters don't need any more fuel. We've been watching what's been happening in France and England very closely and will adjust our immigration laws accordingly.
remember charles manson. He was a petty criminal who back in the 1960's started doing LSD got more crazed and then look what he did. This terrorist and most like him are just like charles manson- with machine guns and bombs. The sooner we get rid of them , the better, for all of our sakes.
4
It may not be fair, and I don't know how I would act, but I can't help but saying what a difference with that policeman at the Florida school who hid and then the next days resigned and retired to a full pension.....
47
You've forgotten the three U.S. Marines who saved the French on a train from a terrorist not so long ago?
30
The attacker were confronted by French,British and American passengers.The attempt attack happened in Belgium and the European train Thallys was carrying people who boarded in Amsterdam.The Americans were not part of the US marines.But you right let s keep the story simple and understandable by average joe '..3 us marines saved the French..'
4
Sorrow again sweeps over France as an invading army once again slaughters innocents.
Do you really in your heart want that here ?
20
Here? It says you are from Florida, land of mass shootings.
Have you heard of irony? You should look it up.
25
Invading army? It was one nutjob with a gun. Of course, three people killed is three too many, but how many nutjobs with guns have killed people in the US this week? Oh right, you have no idea, because gun deaths in the US are so common that they don't make the national news unless it's a mass shooting or happens in a school.
And to answer your question, no I don't want terrorists in the United States, and I support immigration applications and reviews that block terrorists from entry. But I'm also not ignorant enough to pretend that banning Muslims from entry will protect us from terrorists because we have plenty of home-grown ones, like that Christian survivalist who killed two people and injured several others in Austin.
42
An army of ... 1
6
gallantry alive and well in France
Mr. Collomb praised a 45-year-old police officer who “voluntarily” switched places with a hostage Mr. Lakdim had taken.
53
There was no way the gunman was coming out alive. That's not how it works in France. You don't need a trial to prove his guilt, you don't need to deliberate the sentence.
23
And this is your main concern, after he killed three people and wounded 20 others?
26
Bitter comment and clear!y little knowledge or respect for victims or laws in France or USA.
26
While your comment is to some extent correct, there is some cause-and-effect here. When, in France, an assailant is armed, and especially when the assailant has taken a life, local police will receive assistance from federal and paramilitary police forces (as is the case in other European countries). Those aren't generally there to negotiate or make arrests, but to eliminate the problem in the most expedient way possible, which indeed often means the assailant is eliminated. Over the decades, this has resulted in criminals being well aware that if they go about their "business" armed, and especially if they pull the trigger, once the cavalry arrives, they have little chance of making it back to the wife and kids. This, in turn, ensures police goes in quickly, with guns blazing, the methodology is intended to be a deterrent to would-be attackers: cross the line, you're dead. The officer who went in voluntarily was a local, a gendarme, and knew full well what was about to happen.
3
Here's an equivalence. Both our FBI and the French Security Services were aware of criminal-radical observed subjects. The FBI in the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombing, and now with the French Supermarket attack. In both instances, these perpetrators had already come to the attention of the law enforcement authorities and yet were able to commit their horrendous jihad attacks. This is what bothers me most when I learn of this from the news reports.
I'm left wondering if, in fact, these attacks could have been prevented had the authorities been more diligent, more dogged, more thorough. I doubt that I'm the only one with these thoughts/questions. I'm tired of learning of these facts after the loss of life by these zealots, both in France and in the United States -- both foreign and domestic. 9/11 also comes to mind on this topic ...
17
How much freedom are you willing to give up to allow police to act against citizens before a crime is committed? It's not as plain and simple as you paint it. The article clearly stated they knew the terrorist only as a petty criminal and did not believe him to be radicalized.
13
Blowback from reducing Syria and Iraq to rubble, or spreading weapons to promote sectarian violence? Nah.
6
You can foil a plot, but it’s probably a short window in which to act. You can’t arrest someone for thinking bad thoughts or talking.
6
so hows that gun ban doing?
15
Okay, Tim. So what's the answer. All I hear is that gun control doesn't work. So pony up an idea for once instead of braying from the cheap seats.
6
Like 18 times less homicides per capita due to firearms according to Wikipedia. So, pretty well, thank you.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_dea...
34
He "only" had a handgun, not an AR15 because he couldn't get one thanks to the gun control...
41
Why was this man allowed to be in France?
30
hint: maybe he was French ...
2
"Why was this man allowed to be in France?" What kind of a question is that??? Has it not occurred to you that he was born in France????
6
He was born in Morocco....
11
France has done an excellent job of deterring and addressing terrorism and maintaining its status as an actual democracy. Also, this story demonstrates the humanity and the effectiveness of France's police officers. Vive la France
140
Another young idiot who thought he would have his 15 minutes of fame by killing innocent bystanders. My prayers and condolences to their families.
One thing is sure: there will be others in the future, not only muslim ones but others too (remember Breivik for example).
Closing borders will do very little to reduce such mad acts. Most of the perpetrators were born and lived in the country where they committed their crimes. Marine Lepen is just tring to exploit the situation to her advantage. Do not listen to her, she is just another Kremlin-paid stooge.
59
Closing the borders will do very little? Says who? Give it s shot anyway.
20
Actually, the evidence proves otherwise. East European countries that have refused Muslim migrants do not have such attacks. Not one.
11
My prayers are with the Lt. Col. of the Gendarmerie who had offered to take the place of the hostages in exchange for their liberation and is now between life and death, though in so doing saved the lives of a great number of people.
Aude, France
135
Tom - my prayers as well are with the unselfish Lt. Col. of the Gendarmerie and his brave fellow police officers who place their lives on the line every day. I am so sorry that your country has to yet again, experience such senseless hate and murder. Love your country. Never forget that many, many Americans are with you in spirit and in their hearts.
77
The Gendarme Lt. Colonel is one very brave man. He deserves respect for his sacrifice and exemplary service to his compatriots - perhaps, even be awarded the Legion of Honor. I've heard that he has four previous citations for his bravery.
41
Marge - France has always been able to count on true friends in the United States. Your solicitude and prayers are sincerely appreciated. A sad night in our rural community. And as a parent of a recently enlisted young lieutenant, like all parents with a child in uniform, there is now that additional foreboding for loved ones eventually put in harms way for a greater good
29
Sad that people keep doing this. It seem that these phobias have existed for a long time the difference is that now we hear faster because the way news travel.
6
According to French media, the terrorist, Rédouane Lakdim, was Moroccan. Not (so far) French of Moroccan origin, but Moroccan. He was apparently also known to the police due to his involvement in drug trafficking.
The question is, as always, why was he still in France?
North African countries are making it a point of not cooperating with European countries even when Europe bothers to deport non-citizen criminals. They always send the necessary identification for expulsion a day after the detainee has been released. In what world is this behavior acceptable? In what world are we still supposed to support Morocco, Algeria, whomever and their intentional obstruction?
96
Any evidence to back up such a claims?
5
Why is this news?
Oh, that's right - Gun Violence is not a daily or weekly occurrence in France.
It is, for the most part, as compared to the U.S., a rare occurrence.
I'll bet they're not as well practiced at the 'half staff' setting as we here in the United States.
We really need remote controls for our flagpoles here in the United States.
Remotes with a 'Half Staff' setting.
26
Nice of you to overlook the ISIS connection.
49
@ john
You really believe that the innocent victims of mad gunmen care about whether the gunman believes in ISIS or rather white supremacy ... ?
17
How many mass murders in France have you had that we're committed by white supremacists compared to ISIS inspired attacks?
1
There is no way France will release Abdeslam. He will have to serve his life sentence of five years before he is released. It is the European way.
France has hundreds of terrorists in its country. Many will soon be released from prison. The same for Belgium and Luxembourg. Germany and Great Britain. Spain and Italy.
The West (US and Europe) has created a terrible problem for itself. We have taken in millions of people who hate us, our values and our way of life. We are now hostages to them. We can not get rid of them. We must sink ever greater proportions of our resources towards defending the rights of terrorists.
We have allowed our values to be used against us. Our enemies know we are soft and easily fooled. They know that large numbers of our citizens will allow anything to happen so long as they are not painted as xenophobes or racists.
And our people will continue to be murdered.
131
You are absolutely correct. Past administrations have been more concerned about being politically correct than looking at the reality. I'm more concerned about protecting our citizens, political correctness has become dangerous.
29
I don't know if you are French (you post as "we"). France and most European countries benefitted greatly from their "colonies", taking out resources, abusing and killing the native people, destabilizing entire parts of the world, so the hatred you speak of was earned by the Europeans. There are consequences to our behavior.
17
"Our people" must include the young man who just terrorized Austin for three weeks, and the Parkland shooter, and, and, and ... our people.
43
It's over. The French police just stormed the market and killed the gunmen according to CNN.
9
So much for France being soft on terrorists, I guess.
11
My heart goes out to France, America's first ally and dear friend.
104
Thank you so much for your support. Its reciprocal to american friends. Regards from Paris area.
2
France 24 is reported that the gunman has been killed by police. They also report three dead. The hostage-taker has been named as a radicalized individual from nearby Carcassonne.
12
And yet, according the many, increased surveillance of Muslims and restricting their immigration into Europe is evil and unjustified? I, for one, do not get it.
86
We don't know any about the individual and whether he is a Muslim immigrant. We DO know that Sandy Hook, Pulse, and the Parkland shooters were not Muslim immigrants.
73
For the same reason we don't ban immigration from Christian countries every time a Christian murderer is apprehended, and we don't round up all the clean-shaven caucasian males every time a clean-shaven caucasian male shoots up an elementary school. In the movie Casablanca, "round up the usual suspects" was a sardonic comment on totalitarianism, not a serious proposal for societal transformation.
110
Sandy Hook, Pulse and Parkland are not the same. False equivalence. Try again. Easy to be arrogant when you are not the victim of these repeated attacks all in the name of the same religion.
19