The French civilian police worker who murdered four colleagues with a ceramic knife had “heard voices” the night before, his wife has told investigators.
Michael Harpon, 45, was shot dead following a rampage inside the historic Paris Police Prefecture building, next to Notre-Dame cathedral, on Thursday afternoon.
His wife Iham, whom he married in 2014, was arrested soon afterwards at their flat in the suburb of Gonesse.
A source close to the case revealed: “She says that her husband woke up suddenly the night before and said he had heard voices. He was incoherent, and suffered a dementia attack, but went to work at the prefecture anyway.”
The couple were both registered as profoundly deaf, and have two children aged nine and three. Iham is communicating with officers through sign language, the source said.
Harpon, who originally came from the French overseas territory of Martinique, fatally stabbed a senior officer and three others. They have been identified only as General Damien E, 50, Brice L, 38, Anthony L, also 38, and Aurelia T, 39. It was the worst loss of French police lives in a single day since the Second World War.
A terrorist motivation has not been ruled out. The nature of the attack corresponded with similar ones carried out by terrorists affiliated to Islamic State and al Qaeda, police said. Harpon had converted to Islam 18 months ago.
“An investigation has been launched into a grudge the assailant may have held against his colleagues, but terrorism cannot be ruled out,” the source added. “Many of those involved in similar attacks on the police have been Muslim converts influenced by radical terrorist groups.”
They also pointed out that Harpon’s ceramic knife would not have activated metal detectors, and he would not have been searched.
Colleagues described Harpon as a trusted employee who had full security clearance to work in the IT department.
President Emmanuel Macron visited the building, along with prime minister Édouard Philippe and interior minister Christophe Castaner.
Serious concerns have been expressed this year about the psychological frailty of police staff in France.
A brigadier who shot himself in the head with his service pistol in front of shocked colleagues last month became the 50th French officer to take his own life this year.
The 45-year-old, who has not been named, died in the police station at Louvroil, close to the Belgian border on September 19.
Mr Macron has acknowledged that police officers have come under increasing pressure because of growing security threats. These include weekly demonstrations by the anti-government Gilets Jaunes movement, which frequently deteriorate into riots.
