Man Who Threatened Gendarmes at Arc de Triomphe Dies Following Attack; Anti-Terror Investigation Launched

On February 13, 2026, a man armed with a knife threatened gendarmes during the ceremonial rekindling of the flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The incident unfolded around 6 PM near the Champs-Elysées. Responding to the threat, several gendarmes opened fire, injuring the attacker who was then taken to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.

The national anti-terrorist prosecutor's office (PNAT) has initiated a flagrant investigation into the attack, reflecting the seriousness of the incident. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, commenting from Var, stated that the motive for the attack remains unknown at this time.

The assailant, a French national born in 1978 from Seine-Saint-Denis, was under an individual administrative control requiring him to report daily to the police. He had a significant criminal record, notably a 17-year prison sentence handed down in Brussels in June 2013 for attempted murder related to a terrorist act targeting police officers. During the attack, a gendarme was slightly injured by the knife, but no other military personnel were harmed. The Paris police prefecture confirmed that only minor injuries were sustained by security forces during the incident.

Additional reporting confirms that the attacker had threatened gendarmerie musicians before being shot and that the national anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office was promptly seized of the matter following the event.

This attack adds to concerns regarding individuals with terrorist-related criminal histories operating under administrative control. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances and motive behind the attack at one of Paris's most symbolic landmarks.