UPDATE:
12.06.2019 – The intervention of RAID (Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion) and ERIS (Equipes Régionales d’Intervention et de Sécurité) teams at the Penitentiary Center of Alençon-Condé-sur-Sarthe, Normandy, France ended on June 12th around 00:30

The first prison guard was released around 11.30pm, and the second was released when the inmate surrendered.

The Minister of Justice,  Nicole Belloubet gave her full support to the officers of the prison administration who showed great professionalism in such circumstances.

 

11.06.2019 – 19:40  – Two Prison Guards have been taken hostage at the Penitentiary Center of Alençon-Condé-sur-Sarthe, Normandy, France, by an inmate armed with a hand made weapon. A crisis unit is activated within the establishment . The regional intervention and security teams (ERIS) are on site, and recently the RAID.

The kidnapper is known for psychiatric disorders;  he was entered in the register of DPS -particularly reported detainees (Détenus particulièrement signalés), particularly for previous hostage taking but he is not incarcerated for acts of terrorism.

Back in March this year,  this same prison was the scene of 2 Prison Guards being stabbed with a knife bought in by the attackers wife (Michaël Chiolo) .

The knife was ceramic and not picked up by metal detectors.