Victims of Vétroz 55-year-old woman and man – perpetrator dead
Published: Sunday, Jul 28th 2024, 15:00
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On Sunday morning, a 55-year-old local man presumably shot dead a woman and a man of the same age in an apartment in the post office building in Vétroz VS. He then killed himself in his own apartment.
The emergency call about shots fired in Vétroz was received by the alarm center at 7.53 a.m., as Valais police commander Christian Varone told the media in Sion on Sunday afternoon. A large contingent of cantonal, criminal and municipal police was deployed.
The first patrols arrived quickly and cordoned off the area around the post office with the support of the Vétroz municipal police. At around 8.40 a.m., the emergency services found the two victims and secured the scene.
The special task force was also on the scene - as is usual in the case of shootings, as Varone explained. Shortly after the dead body was found, the police cordoned off the area around the suspected perpetrator's home. At 10.00 a.m., the emergency services entered his apartment and found him dead.
He was a 55-year-old man who lived in Vétroz. The 55-year-old woman who was killed also lived there and worked for the municipality. The 55-year-old man who was shot dead lived in the canton of Vaud.
Dispute as a motive
As Varone went on to explain, the suspected shooter applied for a gun purchase license, which was granted. However, a weapon was not registered to him. The investigation would have to show where the murder weapon came from. The police commander did not give any details about the weapon used. Initial findings suggest a private dispute as the motive.
Attorney General Béatrice Pilloud explained that the perpetrator had entered the woman's apartment and shot at the two people present. He later killed himself. The public prosecutor responsible had initiated proceedings for homicide. The investigation followed various paths. Witnesses were questioned and forensic examinations were carried out in the afternoon.
Olivier Cottagnoud, the mayor of Vétroz, was shocked, all the more so as the deceased was employed by the municipality. The two dead from Vétroz were "children of the community", integrated and involved in community life. Two bereaved families would be left behind in the village.
©Keystone/SDA
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