Security guard killed in ‘heinous’ attack at Qatar embassy in Paris

A security guard has been killed at the Qatari embassy in Paris in a “heinous and unjustified” attack after a man reportedly forced his way into the building.

The incident occurred at about 6.30am local time yesterday.

When the man was denied entry, an altercation broke out and the guard, 44, was attacked, newspaper Le Parisien reported.

The guard died at the scene and the man was arrested, it reported.

Qatar’s embassy is close to the Champs-Elysees in the centre of the French capital.

The man, 38, was known to the police and officers said he was from Sevran, Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb in north-east Paris. The French prosecutor’s office has confirmed the death of the guard and has opened a criminal investigation into the incident.

“I can confirm that an investigation was opened today on the count of murder,” the prosecutor’s office said.

“The circumstances of the death of the guard are yet to be determined precisely.”

It said it did not know whether a weapon was used. The Qatari embassy in Paris has condemned the attack.

“In a heinous and unjustified crime, a security officer from the Qatari embassy in Paris was killed on Monday morning,” it said on Twitter.

“Law enforcement quickly arrested the suspect and opened an investigation.

“We await the results of the investigation and invite respect for the privacy of the family of the deceased.

“The Embassy expresses its deep sorrow following this crime and offers its most sincere condolences to the family of the victim.”

The special prosecutor for terrorism cases is not involved in the case, which means that the authorities have ruled out terrorism as a motive for the attack.