Toulouse Gunman Killed After 32-Hour Siege
There had been no contact with Mohammed Merah overnight, officials said. (Photo: Reuters)
A police sniper shot and killed the gunman who carried out a spate of murders in southern France, prosecutors say, after a 32-hour siege in Toulouse.
Mohammed Merah, 23, who claimed to have al-Qaeda training, opened fire on police commandos after they stormed into his apartment.
Prosecutors said he was shot in the head as he tried to flee.
Merah carried out three separate attacks, killing four people at a Jewish school and three soldiers.
Merah’s former lawyer says he started out as a juvenile delinquent, hooligan and shoplifter. By age 23, he had become a jihadi gunman. Christopher Dickey, the Paris Bureau Chief and Middle East editor for Newsweek and the Daily Beast, talks about Merah’s transformation.
The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.
Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.