In a dramatic incident at the Angoulême City Hall, a 46-year-old man attempted to set the building on fire using gasoline.

The event unfolded around noon on August 21, when the man entered the municipal offices with a gasoline canister and a chain with burning cloths, aiming to ignite fires.

Quick action by a municipal secretary, who triggered an alarm, alerted the police.

Despite initial attempts to subdue him, the man was shot and seriously injured by police officers after he acted aggressively.

He was hospitalized in critical condition but is now stable.

The suspect, unknown to police and judicial services, had Arabic inscriptions on his vehicle, but authorities have not linked this to any specific motive.

Investigations are ongoing, with two separate inquiries opened regarding the incident and the police response.