Justice · Plan de CampagnePennes-Mirabeau firefighter shooting: Response commander very seriously wounded, suspect arrestedWritten November 2, 2026 at 6:39 AM UTCWatchTranscript0:07A gunman very seriously wounded a firefighter leading a vehicle.0:10Fire response.0:11The commander needed emergency hospital treatment, and police arrested a suspect0:15after a barricade in a caravan.0:17Investigators must now work out how the vehicle fire and the shooting are connected.0:21Crews came under fire in the planned campaign shopping zone at Les Pens, Mirabeau,0:26north of Marseille.0:27They'd been called to burning vehicles late on Sunday afternoon, November first, two0:31thousand and twenty-six.0:32The fire involved a heavy goods vehicle and cars.0:35The wounded firefighter held the rank of adjutant, chef, a senior non-commissioned0:39officer, and was commanding the response.0:41He was taken to Marseille's H, Petal Nord, for emergency treatment.0:44Prefect Jacques Witkowski described the commander as very seriously wounded.0:48He also said another firefighter and a vehicle were hit, without explaining those0:52impacts.0:53Officials haven't confirmed a second bodily injury.0:55The distinction affects the casualty count.0:57The other firefighter was also described as having been targeted, but officials gave1:01no details of a wound.1:03One firefighter is confirmed very seriously injured.1:06Marseille Mayor Benoit, Tipayan described the wound that evening as extremely1:10serious.1:10That assessment came several hours after the shooting.1:13The commander's longer term medical outlook still isn't clear.1:16Police and Raid, France's specialist police tactical unit, went to the scene.1:20The suspect barricaded himself in the caravan where he was staying when they1:23arrived.1:24Police arrested the suspect with raid support that same evening, reportedly shortly1:28before six.1:29He was then placed in police custody for questioning.1:31The arrest ended the barricade within hours of the attack on the fire crew.1:34Witkowski said the suspect had probably set the vehicles alight himself.1:38That suspicion puts the origin of the fire at the center of the investigation.1:42Police still have to determine the sequence connecting the blaze, the gunfire, and1:46the retreat into the caravan.1:47Exon, Provence prosecutor Jean Luc Blachon announced the grounds for holding the1:52suspect.1:52They cover the attack on a public service worker, damage caused by dangerous means,1:57and weapons possession.1:58The suspected offenses are attempted homicide against someone carrying out a public2:02service mission, destruction and damage by dangerous means.2:06And possession of category B weapons.2:08Those are grounds for questioning the suspect while police investigate.2:11Prosecutors still have to substantiate the allegations.2:14Interior Minister Laurent Nouvez condemned what he called a gratuitous, violent2:18attack against firefighters who commit themselves to protecting others.2:21The crew had gone to extinguish burning vehicles and instead had its response leader2:25taken to hospital with a very serious gunshot wound.2:28The suspect is in custody, and the prefect suspects he started the fire.2:31Investigators haven't explained a motive or determined whether the blaze was2:35deliberately used to draw firefighters to the scene.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
