Dordogne: An armed and dangerous fugitive on the run – 20 minutes
- The search continued through the night to find the 29-year-old, heavily armed man, who repeatedly fired at the gendarmes on Sunday.
- Disruptions on the roads and in transport are to be expected this Monday.
- The drama had started in the night from Saturday to Sunday, when this former soldier had returned to the home of his ex-companion, at Lardin-Saint-Lazare in Dordogne.
The manhunt to find a 29-year-old soldier, armed and dangerous, continued all night near Lardin-Saint-Lazare, in the Dordogne. More than 300 gendarmes, seven helicopters and seven armored vehicles have been mobilized to find this fugitive since Sunday. Even if it was located in a wooded area, it remains untraceable this Monday morning.
Disturbances are expected in the area on Monday. The inhabitants of Lardin-Saint-Lazare, a village of 1,800 inhabitants near Sarlat, are always invited to stay confined to their homes. Several roads are cut, as well as exits from the A89. There is no school transport, and no school in this area on Monday.
🔴Le Lardin St Lazare – #Dordogne
Exit 17 of the A89 towards Brive-la-Gaillarde is closed. Take exit 16 to reach Terrasson.– Prefect of the Dordogne (@ Prefet24) May 30, 2021
The SNCF also indicates disruptions on the Périgueux-Brive axis, and warns of possible cancellations or modifications of trains.
🔴6h17 #Infotrafic #TERNA
Traffic is disrupted on the axis # Perigueux ↔ #Brive. Plan for service deletions and modifications until further notice.
Specialized teams are currently working in the sector. It is a mandatory security measure. pic.twitter.com/1qFtiCwTCb– TER NVELLE-AQUITAINE (@TERNouvelleAQ) May 31, 2021
“Long and meticulous work”
“The work of sweeping the entire perimeter will be long and meticulous … It can still take many hours,” said the prefect of Dordogne on Sunday evening. “The research continued last night, there were checks made on the ground but they turned out to be unsuccessful,” the gendarmerie told AFP. “There is a relief this morning but the device remains the same”.
The drama had started on the night of Saturday to Sunday, when the individual shows up at his ex-girlfriend’s home and commits violence on his new companion. When the gendarmes arrive, the former soldier opens fire on their vehicles, then escapes. He has since fired several times at the police, including a helicopter.
“He has a big game hunting weapon, a powerful and dangerous weapon,” General André Pétillot said.