French police shoot dead armed man who wanted to burn down synagogue, officials say

The attacker was carrying a knife and iron bar, according to local authorities.

French police shot dead armed man who set fire to synagogue

French police shot dead an armed man who set fire to Rouen’s synagogue, officials said this morning, Reuters reported.

The attacker was carrying a knife and iron bar, according to local authorities.

The fire had been brought under control, according to a Rouen city hall official.

Le Figaro reports that police intervened around 6:45am due to smoke at a Rouen synagogue.

Officials saw a suspect on the roof, who then jumped and rushed at police with an iron bar and knife and tried to stab a police officer, according to Le Figaro, which cited a source.

The Jewish community’s leadership is expressing “anger and sadness” at today’s incident in Rouen.

Elie Korchia, president of France’s Consistoire Central Jewish worshippers body, thanked police who had “avoided another anti-Semitic tragedy”.