Paris Police Commissioner Ran Into Bataclan Alone After Hearing About Attack, Took Out One Terrorist

A Paris police commissioner was in a patrol car when he heard the call about a terrorist attack at the Bataclan theater, so the lone officer sped to the scene before elite teams were able to arrive, entering alone and taking out one gunman in an effort that put the massacre to an abrupt halt.

The story of the lone officer’s heroic act has come to light as investigators piece together exactly what happened at the theater, which was the deadliest scene of last week’s terrorist attack in Paris. An Associated Press report detailed the actions of the unnamed police commissioner, who reportedly wants to remain out of the public view and is still in shock over the events.

“It’s their action that made it possible to stop the killing,” Christophe Molmy, who heads the elite BRI police intervention squad, told The Associated Press of the commissioner and his driver, who helped race him to the scene.

By the time the elite units were able to arrive, the massacre of concertgoers had stopped, Molmy said.

Members of the California-based Eagles of Death Metal band, who was performing at the time the massacre started, have also spoken out this week, describing a chaotic and deadly scene. Lead singer Jesse Hughes and band member Josh Homme said there were many acts of heroism throughout the shooting, with many people refusing to leave friends or protecting their loved ones.

Some people fled backstage after the attack, while others entered the band’s dressing room in an attempt to hide. But Hughes said the gunman found them hiding here, killing all of them except a “kid” who was hid under Hughes’ leather jacket.

Eagles of Death Metal singer says ‘kid hiding under my jacket’ was sole survivor in dressing room https://t.co/CBUQTC4nbC

— The Independent (@Independent) November 22, 2015

Hughes himself helped many to escape, survivors said. A British couple, Maria and Patrick Moore, said he led many of them to a back exit and helped them get away from the gunmen.

“We could hear the gunfire getting closer and closer and we ran up the street. The lead singer ran past us with his girlfriend saying ‘Run baby run!’ There was the crackle of gunshots and people stumbling on the steps, I can’t remember hearing anyone screaming. It was all so surreal and the adrenaline took over – it was all a blur.”

Another survivor, known only as Sebastien in order to protect his identity, helped a pregnant woman who was hanging from a third story window ledge. The woman became trapped during her attempt to escape and could not get back in, but Sebastien risked his life to help her.

He rescued a pregnant woman hanging from a window of the Bataclan. Then he was taken hostage https://t.co/IOYNQqJt9O pic.twitter.com/u39CtQTwhs

— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 21, 2015

It nearly cost Sebastien his life, as he ended up trapped in the upstairs room when the gunmen came in. But instead of killing Sebastien as they had dozens of others, the terrorists decided to use him to deliver a message to police.

Sebastien was rounded up with the other hostages, who were stuck in a tense situation with the attackers.

“They told us it was just the beginning. And that war was starting now. And they were there in the name of Islamic State,” said Sebastien. “Then they asked us whether we agreed with them. So I’ll let you imagine the silence that followed. The timid ones nodded. The braver ones said ‘yes.’ ”

Sebastien said the special forces eventually stormed the theater, shooting past a wall of hostages without harming them. Though 89 people were killed at the Bataclan, officials say the total likely would have been much higher were it not for the heroism of the lone police commissioner.

[Photo by Amr Nabil/AP Images]