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BBC Accessibility links Skip to contentAccessibility Help Sign in BBC navigation News Sport Weather Shop Earth Travel More Search the BBC Search Search the BBC News navigation Home Video World selected US & Canada UK Business Tech Science Magazine Entertainment & Arts Health More sections Europe selected France Election 2017 ADVERTISEMENT French police sniper shoots two in error at Hollande speech 1 hour ago From the section Europe Share Media captionWatch President Hollande's reaction as he hears the shot A French police sniper has accidentally shot and injured two people during a speech by President Francois Hollande in western France. The shot was fired as the officer moved position on a roof about 100m (328ft) from a tent where Mr Hollande was speaking in the town of Villognon. The bullet went through the canvas of the tent, where drinks were being made. It passed through a waiter's thigh and lodged in another person's calf. The injuries were not life-threatening. Mr Hollande was inaugurating a new stretch of railway when a gunshot was heard. He interrupted his speech for a few moments but reports say there was no panic. "I hope it's nothing serious - I think not," Mr Hollande said as he paused his address to ask whether anyone had been hurt. The president later visited the injured - the head waiter of a local hotel and an employee of a railway maintenance company. One local report said the safety catch of the sniper's weapon had been unlocked, allowing the gun to be discharged accidentally. Local government chief Pierre N'Gahane said a judicial investigation had been launched. Asked if the officer had fired accidentally, he was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying: "Yes, without doubt." The marksman is based with a special protection unit in nearby Poitiers, officials said.





French police sniper shoots two in error at Hollande speech

  • 1 hour ago
  •  
  • From the sectionEurope






Media captionWatch President Hollande's reaction as he hears the shot

A French police sniper has accidentally shot and injured two people during a speech by President Francois Hollande in western France.
The shot was fired as the officer moved position on a roof about 100m (328ft) from a tent where Mr Hollande was speaking in the town of Villognon.
The bullet went through the canvas of the tent, where drinks were being made. It passed through a waiter's thigh and lodged in another person's calf.
The injuries were not life-threatening.
Mr Hollande was inaugurating a new stretch of railway when a gunshot was heard. He interrupted his speech for a few moments but reports say there was no panic.
"I hope it's nothing serious - I think not," Mr Hollande said as he paused his address to ask whether anyone had been hurt.
The president later visited the injured - the head waiter of a local hotel and an employee of a railway maintenance company.
One local report said the safety catch of the sniper's weapon had been unlocked, allowing the gun to be discharged accidentally.
Local government chief Pierre N'Gahane said a judicial investigation had been launched.
Asked if the officer had fired accidentally, he was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying: "Yes, without doubt."
The marksman is based with a special protection unit in nearby Poitiers, officials said.

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