Two GIGN officers seriously wounded by gunfire in Abymes, four arrests
Two military personnel from the GIGN unit of Pointe-à-Pitre were shot and wounded on Saturday evening in Abymes. Four suspects have been arrested.
Gunfire on GIGN officers in Abymes: two seriously wounded, four suspects arrested
Two military personnel from the Groupe d'intervention de la gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) unit based in Pointe-à-Pitre were seriously wounded by gunfire on Saturday, 10 October, during a judicial operation in Abymes, Guadeloupe. Four suspects have been arrested, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. The two officers' vital prognosis is not in question, according to la1ere.franceinfo.fr.
The incident occurred around 19:40 local time. According to a source close to the investigation, the officers were tracking a group suspected of involvement in several armed robberies and wanted notably for the theft from a commercial establishment. When proceeding with the arrest, the suspects allegedly opened fire immediately.
One officer was struck by a bullet in the arm. The other was hit in a leg, with a suspected femur fracture, again according to a source close to the investigation. Their vital prognosis is not in question, confirmed a source within the gendarmerie.
Nuñez: "We will not back down in the face of organised crime"
Laurent Nuñez announced the four arrests in a message posted on social media network X, noting that operations were still ongoing at the time of his statement. "Attacking our law enforcement officers is intolerable," he wrote, adding: "We will not back down in the face of organised crime and gang violence."
The operation mobilised substantial resources: three mobile gendarmerie intervention squads, one Republican Guard intervention squad, a helicopter from the Pointe-à-Pitre gendarmerie air section, Guadeloupe's criminal identification unit, and a dog handling team.
Three shootings targeting law enforcement in eight days
General Christophe Perret, commander of the Guadeloupe gendarmerie, raised concerns about a series of incidents: three instances of gunfire against law enforcement have been recorded in eight days — two against gendarmes, one against police officers. In each case, shooting occurred during or immediately after an arrest. "We know it can be at the cost of our lives, but we are not here to lose our lives either. One does not act with impunity against law enforcement," he stated.
Two days before Saturday's incident, in the night of Thursday 8 to Friday 9 October, police officers came under fire in the centre of Pointe-à-Pitre. Around 00:45, they had arrested an alleged robber following an exchange of gunfire; their vehicle was riddled with bullets, without any injuries. Three other suspects remained at large at that time. These events were part of an investigation into individuals suspected of assaulting two elderly people in Trois-Rivières on Wednesday, 7 October, during a jewellery snatching theft.
Crown prosecutor raises attempted murder allegations
Éric Maurel, Crown prosecutor at the Basse-Terre court of appeal, stated in a statement his "serious concern at the escalation and repetition of these criminal behaviours". He recalls that gendarmes and police officers were victims of gunfire in three separate circumstances in Guadeloupe in recent weeks. These acts may constitute attempted murder of public authority officeholders — crimes liable to life imprisonment. "The Crown prosecutor expresses his deep emotion and offers his support to the military personnel of the gendarmerie, police officers and their families," the statement adds.
The Prefect of Guadeloupe, Thierry Devimeux, also expressed his support for the two wounded officers in a statement published on Sunday, denouncing a surge in armed violence targeting security forces.
Police union appeals to elected representatives
In response to this succession of violent incidents, the Alliance Police Nationale Guadeloupe – Saint-Martin union has sent an open letter to elected representatives of the territory. The organisation calls for an accurate assessment of crime statistics to be established using official data concerning homicides, attempted homicides, armed violence and assaults against police officers.
The union also demands an evaluation of the operational needs of the National Police in terms of personnel and resources, as well as a reinforcement of the fight against armed violence and criminal networks. "In Guadeloupe, homicides, armed violence and serious assaults regularly remind us how much security remains an essential issue for our territory. Behind these events are victims, families in distress, concerned residents and police officers facing particularly difficult intervention situations," the organisation writes.
Alliance Police Nationale finally calls for a working meeting between elected representatives, State officials and competent services, to identify concrete action plans in response to the escalation of armed violence in Guadeloupe.
Source: Google News GP — Crime