Early Sunday morning in Paris, a tragic incident unfolded as a pedestrian lost their life when they were struck by a driver attempting to evade the police during a traffic stop, according to sources within the police department.
The incident led to the eventual apprehension of the suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed yet. An anonymous police source informed Agence France-Presse (AFP) about the arrest, but specific details surrounding the circumstances of the arrest remain undisclosed.
The incident began in the suburb of Pantin, situated in the northeast of Paris, at approximately 3:30 am local time (0130 GMT) on Sunday. A police patrol noticed a BMW that they attempted to stop. Instead of complying, the driver chose to flee and headed towards the heart of the city.
During the pursuit, the fleeing driver navigated through several streets within the 19th Arrondissement before managing to elude the pursuing officers as they exited a tunnel, as revealed by a police source.
Subsequently, the suspect abandoned the BMW on a street located in a northeastern district of the city, according to the same source.
Shortly afterward, law enforcement received a report of a pedestrian being struck on a boulevard near the outskirts of Paris. Emergency services rushed to the scene, but unfortunately, the victim did not survive their injuries and was pronounced dead at the location. The police source indicated that an official inquiry into the incident is now underway.
Although the authorities have yet to release any information about the identity of the victim, BFM television reported that the deceased individual was a man in his 30s.
This tragic incident underscores the risks associated with reckless attempts to evade law enforcement, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of following traffic rules and cooperating with police officers during routine stops. The investigation into this incident will likely shed more light on the circumstances and events that transpired leading up to the fatal collision.