According to the Républicain Lorrain, the man discharged a firearm several times into the air near a school on Rue Jeanne-d’Arc at around 10.45am.
The Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefecture said that “the school’s special safety plan was immediately activated”. Pupils and staff were placed under lockdown “under protection”, and by midday, water and biscuits were distributed to them. Around 140 pupils under 12 attend the primary school.
The man then barricaded himself inside an apartment. The gendarmerie established a security perimeter around the area. On site were Val de Briey sub-prefect Hélène Geronimi, Mayor Bernard Fontaine, and Captain Christophe Grosso, head of the Val de Briey gendarmerie company.
At around 1.45pm, reinforcements arrived from Reims, including a negotiator. At 2.15pm, the man agreed to talk and opened his door. He was arrested without incident.
The primary school reopened shortly afterwards, with a psychological support unit set up to assist the school community.
