Suspect killed, officer wounded in police shooting in Beauvais, France
A man in his thirties was killed and a police officer wounded after a armed suspect barricaded himself in his home and opened fire on officers in the Saint-Jean district of Beauvais, in France’s Hauts-de-France region, on the morning of Saturday, September 19, 2026.
What happened
- Early on Saturday morning, between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., several witnesses reported a man riding a motorcycle in Beauvais who appeared “very threatening” and fired multiple shots from a handgun while driving.
- Identified via the city’s video surveillance system, the man—described as being around 30 years old—was traced to his residence in the Saint-Jean neighborhood.
- Police arrived at the home around 8 a.m. to arrest him. As they attempted to enter the dwelling, they were met with gunfire, which wounded one officer in the arm.
- After trying to neutralize the individual, who was described as “excited and threatening,” officers used their service weapons following several shots from inside.
- The suspect was taken into medical care immediately after the exchange of fire but died shortly afterward. Family members present in the home were not injured.
Official response and investigations
Nicolas Septe, the public prosecutor (procureur de la République) of Beauvais, confirmed the sequence of events and announced that two separate investigations have been opened:
- One investigation, assigned to the Beauvais police station, covers armed violence and threats against residents and the attempted homicide of police officers.
- A second investigation, focused on the police use of firearms, has been assigned to the judicial police (DCOS) in Creil, jointly with the national police oversight body IGPN in Lille.
Context
The incident occurred in Beauvais, a city in the Oise department of the Hauts-de-France region, northwest of Paris. The Saint-Jean district is a residential area where the confrontation unfolded at the suspect’s home following earlier gunfire in the streets.
French media described the deceased as “menacing” and emphasized that officers came under fire while attempting the arrest, prompting them to return fire.