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French police search for gunman after killing at monks' retirement home French police search for gunman after killing at monks' retirement home
(35 minutes later)
A woman has been found dead at a retirement home for monks near Montpellier in southern France, after an armed masked man entered the home at 10pm on Thursday night.A woman has been found dead at a retirement home for monks near Montpellier in southern France, after an armed masked man entered the home at 10pm on Thursday night.
Police said the residents of the home in Montferrier-sur-Lez in the Hérault were safe but that officers were still searching for the gunman.Police said the residents of the home in Montferrier-sur-Lez in the Hérault were safe but that officers were still searching for the gunman.
Investigators said they had no evidence at this stage to suggest the attack was terror-related.Investigators said they had no evidence at this stage to suggest the attack was terror-related.
“For the time being, there is only one victim,” Montpellier prosecutor Christophe Barret told Agence France-Presse. “For the moment there is no particular evidence about the motive for this crime.”“For the time being, there is only one victim,” Montpellier prosecutor Christophe Barret told Agence France-Presse. “For the moment there is no particular evidence about the motive for this crime.”
The man was not known to authorities.The man was not known to authorities.
Residents of the home “are very elderly with an average age of 75 although some are more than 90,” said Alain Berthet, a local councillor in Montferrier-sur-Luz. Many of the residents require assistance to walk, he said.Residents of the home “are very elderly with an average age of 75 although some are more than 90,” said Alain Berthet, a local councillor in Montferrier-sur-Luz. Many of the residents require assistance to walk, he said.
The secretary general of the French Bishops’ Conference, Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said in a Twitter message: “Our prayers tonight go to the woman who lost her life in this attack on a retirement home.”The secretary general of the French Bishops’ Conference, Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said in a Twitter message: “Our prayers tonight go to the woman who lost her life in this attack on a retirement home.”
There were conflicting reports over the identity of the dead woman. Initially, a police source told Reuters that she was believed to be the concierge, who had contacted police before she was killed with a knife.There were conflicting reports over the identity of the dead woman. Initially, a police source told Reuters that she was believed to be the concierge, who had contacted police before she was killed with a knife.
However, later reports said that the concierge had escaped and freed herself after being bound and gagged by the gunman.However, later reports said that the concierge had escaped and freed herself after being bound and gagged by the gunman.
It is thought the woman, who had been stabbed several times, was a resident of the three-storey retirement home.It is thought the woman, who had been stabbed several times, was a resident of the three-storey retirement home.
There were about 60 residents, who included nuns and former missionaries as well as monks.There were about 60 residents, who included nuns and former missionaries as well as monks.
The Paris anti-terrorist investigations unit is not running the investigation at this point. Local police referred to a “criminal act”.The Paris anti-terrorist investigations unit is not running the investigation at this point. Local police referred to a “criminal act”.
Around two hours after the attacker burst into the home, more than a dozen police and emergency vehicles lined the roads near the home, while police set up roadblocks to check vehicles passing through the area.
A large security perimeter, stretching for several hundred metres, had been set up and officers from elite armed unit RAID were on the scene.