Two people were shot on Monday outside a mosque in Bayonne, a city in southwest France, according to local police. The victims were reportedly two men ages 84 and 87-years-old. The suspect, also reportedly a man in his 80s, was allegedly attempting to set the mosque on fire when the two men surprised him. He allegedly shot at them and then fled the scene. The incident also involved a small explosion, allegedly from a gas can set on fire near the mosque. According to police, the suspect is an 84-year-old former soldier. He was arrested near his home shortly after the incident. France Bleu Pays Basque, a French radio station, reported that the the suspect attempted to use a Smith & Wesson pistol on police before being disarmed and arrested. Investigators also reportedly discovered a gas cylinder inside his car, and grenades inside his home. He is currently in custody in Bayonne.
