“I was afraid for my life”: two hostages from Farciennes agree to tell their ordeal to RTL info

“Clearly, I don’t even feel safe at home anymore.“, confides one of the hostages, still very shocked by what happened to him yesterday in Farciennes. We will call him Pierre. He agrees to meet us in front of the school where the facts occurred. Around 5:20 p.m. yesterday, the lesson had started barely 10 minutes before an individual came into the classroom and threatened everyone with a gun.”The stress rises suddenly, we do not understand exactly. It happened very quickly: in 5 minutes, the weapon was pointed at us, and our teachers. I was scared for my life.”

Antoine served as a “human shield”

The suspect was unstable, aggressive and threatening. The hostages feared a shot would go off at any moment. This is the case of Antoine (assumed name), who also agrees to tell us about his experience. “We wonder what will happen“, he testifies. “Life passes before us, we don’t know what man is capable of.”

Antoine tells us that he served as a human shield for the hostage taker when he wanted to flee. “There were two students, including me, and the teacher. He was using us as a shield, we had to protect him from the police. We tell ourselves that either he surrenders and the police intervene, or a shooting occurs.“

The anxiety of returning to the establishment

For now, classes are suspended. But it will be necessary to return there soon, not without a certain anguish. “Outside it’s more or less fine“, says Peter. “But for now, I can’t go back. I will try to come back, because I have always had a passion for this profession. I do not intend to stop training, but I will not return to this class.“

He also admits that he will call on the psychological help unit, aware that he needs it.