France manhunt: cameras record brutal ambush as “drug boss” freed and guards shot dead | BBC News

Hundreds of police officers in France are hunting for an armed gang who ambushed a prison van on a busy road near Rouen in Normandy , shooting dead two prison guards and freeing a prisoner known as ‘The Fly”.

The brutal attack, which took place at a road toll booth and was captured on CCTV, has shocked France. Gunmen opened fire on prison officers, killing two and critically injuring two others. France’s President Emmanuel Macron said “everything is being done to find the perpetrators."

The prisoner, Mohamed Amra, was being taken from court to a prison when a car rammed the prison van at the toll gate. He’s accused of being a drugs gang leader and has been indicted by prosecutors in Marseille for a kidnapping that led to a death.

Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Nick Beake in Rouen.

#BBCNews

[moos]

You'd think they'd have armored vehicles when they transport the head of a drug cartel.

[joromo]

They transported a drug cartel leader in a taxi.

Only in France.

[francoisbernard]

"Terrorism is rare in France." What are you talking about?

[piggypiggypig]

Two innocent men dead. Two families devastated. Terrible.

[riflemanma]

3:00 This wasn’t “indiscriminate” violence. It was targeted, literally the exact opposite.

[ArchangelMichael.]

“They will be punished”

Locks him up for 5 years

[UNC]

It's amazing how "culturally enriched" France has become.

[BrownGeorge-pwxo]

I started doing drugs years ago as a teenage, got addicted to heroin. Spent my whole life fighting heroin addiction. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder; was actually diagnosed with cptsd. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 6 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.

[paulkowalik]

This lack of security while transporting a dangerous drug lord is the proof that officials are out of touch with reality.

[rockyrowlands]

This would never have happened in the UK ….. because we would released him on bail from the onset and he would have fled the country … that how soft the UK are.

[iamJorgeLopes]

The authorities in France gravely underestimated the level of violence this man and his gang would unleash to keep him out of prison. Big mistake on the part of the authorities there.

[omega]

was not surprised when they read the prisoner's name

[winston_smith]

when the fear of being called 'racist' is greater than letting your country be overrun and destroyed things don't turn out well.

[Sheikh_Yerbouti]

"Mohamed Amra", an Indigenous Frenchman no doubt!

[evilrevolations]

Wait a moment, how did they get those weapons with all those gun laws in France? It's almost like criminals don't obey the law...

[lilprinzmichael]

You can’t do this without having an inside information, it’s not possible.

[hemanthprabhu]

Without inside info, gang cannot pull this off.

[cuthtsd]

Transporting a drug boss in an unarmored van. What could go wrong?

[Kampfstrampler]

The Bodyguard in the back tried not to laugh while he said, "we will find them and arrest them"

[xmMoyocoyatzin]

"Indiscriminate violence" You people should look up what that means. This is called Targeted Violence not "indiscriminate." They attacked with both intent and purpose in this situation, they aren't just randomly shooting anyone in sight and for no reason.