Arnaud Beltrame
Arnaud Beltrame | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 18 April 1973 |
| Died | 24 March 2018 (aged 44) |
| Nationality | French |
| Alma mater | Lycée militaire de Saint-Cyr |
| Occupation | Senior Officer of the National Gendarmerie |
| Spouse |
Marielle Beltrame
(m. 2016) |
Arnaud Jean-Georges Beltrame (18 April 1973 – 24 March 2018) was a lieutenant colonel in the French National Gendarmerie and Deputy Commander of the Departmental Gendarmerie's Aude Groupment,[1] who was killed by a terrorist at Trèbes after having exchanged himself for a hostage. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Beltrame deserved "the respect and admiration of the whole nation."[2]
Terrorist attack
At about 11 AM on March 24, 2018, a terrorist claiming allegiance to ISIS stormed a supermarket in Trèbes armed with a handgun, a hunting knife, and three homemade bombs. He shot two people dead and took others hostage. Police negotiated for release of the hostages, and Beltrame offered to take the place of the final one, a woman. Beltrame set his mobile phone on a table with its line open so that police outside could monitor activity inside. After a three-hour stand-off, the terrorist stabbed and shot Beltrame. In response, GIGN operatives stormed the supermarket at 2:40 PM and killed the assailant. An autopsy revealed that Beltrame had died from stab wounds to the throat. [3]
Military career
Beltrame was a double valedictorian who graduated at the top of his class in 1999 from the prestigious military school Lycée militaire de Saint-Cyr L’Ecole and from the gendarmerie school in 2001. Beltrame joined the special forces unit of the gendarmerie (GIGN) in 2003. He was deployed in Iraq in 2005 and received military honors for his service there. He then joined the Republican Guard, part of the national gendarmerie that provides officers for the security of French institutions. He was a guard at the Élysée Palace between 2006 and 2010, and joined the gendarmerie unit in southwestern France in August 2017.[4]
Personal life
Beltrame was reared in a nonreligious family but, at age 33, he converted to Catholic Christianity, receiving the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation in 2008.[5] In 2015, he made a pilgrimage to Basilica of Sainte-Anne d'Auray, "where he asked the Virgin Mary to help him to meet the woman of his life" and shortly afterwards, "he became friends with Marielle, whose faith is deep and discreet."[5] Prior to the terrorist attack at Trèbes, Beltrame made a pilgrimage to Compostela.[6] He had married his partner in a civil ceremony in August 2016,[7] but they had planned a church wedding in June 2018 at the Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus. Beltrame was also a Freemason and received public honors from his Grand Lodge.[8] He had an interest in the history of France and its Christian roots.[5]
Homages
President Macron announced on 24 March 2018 that a national tribute would be paid to Beltrame. Gerard Collomb, Minister of the Interior, spoke of Beltrame's bravery and heroism. French flags and the banners of the Gendarmerie and the National Assembly were lowered to half-staff.
Decorations
Honour medal of Foreign Affairs (silver) – 2006[9]
Cross for Military Valour (bronze star with brigade citation) – 2007[10]
National Defence Medal (golden) – 2009[11]
National Order of Merit (Knight) – 2012[12]
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References
- ^ officier adjoint au commandement du groupement de gendarmerie de l’Aude"Qui était Arnaud Beltrame, le gendarme mort en héros ?" (in French). Retrieved 2018-03-25.
- ^ "Tributes paid for hostage-swap policeman". BBC News. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018..
- ^ Le Parisien March 25, 2018.
- ^ Elian Peltier, "French Officer Who Died After Trading Places With Hostage Is Hailed as Hero," New York Times March 25, 2018, 8A.
- ^ a b c "Police officer who swapped places with hostage was a practising Catholic". The Catholic Herald. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
- ^ "The faith of Lieutenant-Colonel Beltrame, the French police officer who took place of hostage". Aleteia. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
- ^ Valeurs Actuelles
- ^ http://blogs.lexpress.fr/lumiere-franc-macon/2018/03/24/beltrame-victime-dun-terroriste-frere-gldf/
- ^ Arnaud Beltrame : une vie au service de son pays, 24 mars 2018
- ^ Arnaud Beltrame : de la sécurité de l'Élysée à l'Irak, Huffpost, 24 mars 2018
- ^ L'essor de la gendarmerie nationale : hommage militaire au lieutenant-colonel Arnaud Beltrame
- ^ Journal officiel de la République française, 5 mai 2012