A gunman has shot and killed three police officers who were called to a domestic incident in central France.
The suspect, a 48-year-old man who was known to the police, was later found dead not far from the scene of the shooting.
During the incident, a woman managed to seek refuge on the roof of a house in a remote village near Saint-Just in the early hours of this morning, Wednesday, 23rd December.
Initial reports indicate that the gunman killed one officer and wounded another shortly after they arrived on the scene.
The gunman then set fire to the house.
As other officers rushed to the scene to assist their wounded colleagues, two more police officers were killed.
President Emmanuel Macron said the nation shared the grief of the families of the police officers.
One of the officers, who was shot in the leg, is expected to survive his injuries.
Support for the officers and their families has come flooding in from emergency services personnel around the world.
The officers have been named as Brig Arno Mavel, 21, Lt Cyrille Morel, 45, and Adjutant Rémi Dupuis, 37.
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So tragic. Good Bless them all and their families and friends.