The 'heroic' police officer who swapped himself for a hostage in a French terror attack has died

Associated Press

A portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame was posted by the Gendarmerie Nationale on it's Facebook account.

• French police officer Arnaud Beltrame who exchanged himself for a hostage in a terror attack at a supermarket in Trèbes, southern France, has died in hospital.
• Interior Minister Gérard Collomb said he 'died for his country' and praised his 'heroism and bravery.'
• Brings the death toll to four.

The French police officer who exchanged himself for a hostage during a supermarket siege in Trèbes, southern France,on Friday has died in hospital.

Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, 45, died overnight of gunshot wounds, Reuters reports.

Interior Minister Gérard Collomb first announced Beltrame's death in a Tweet early on Saturday, he said: "He died for his country. France will never forget his heroism, his bravery, his sacrifice."

Tha attacker has been identified as 25-year-old Moroccan-born Redouane Lakdim, who was shot dead by police in the hostage standoff.

Beltrame's death brings the number of people killed in the attack to four. Two of the other victims were inside the supermarket, while the third was killed earlier in the day during a carjacking in the nearby town of Carcassonne.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Reuters.

Macron said of Beltrame in a statement: "In offering himself as a hostage to the terrorist holed up in the Trebes supermarket, lieutenant colonel Beltrame saved the life of a civilian hostage, showing exceptional self-sacrifice and courage."

Reuters

Police respond to the hostage situation at a Super U supermarket in southern France.