Police Officer Injured as Suspect Flees Drug Checkpoint Near Valenciennes

The incident occurred around 11 pm in Anzin, near Valenciennes (North). While trying to evade a check, a 29-year-old Moroccan man hit a police officer "who was holding a roadblock to stop the motorist," according to the Nord firefighters. A chase then ensued. The spokesperson for the independent police commissioners’ union specified that the victim is seriously injured in the legs and back, which required hospitalization. The driver, for his part, was arrested and taken into custody.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin reacted to this incident. "(…) Every day, our law enforcement officers are confronted with attempted murders while doing their job," he lamented in a tweet. "We should all support them rather than side with the delinquents."

On Tuesday, the deputy from the North, Fabien Roussel, assured on BFMTV that the injured police officer’s life was not in danger.