Police chief stabbed to death in broad daylight in French city centre

Pascal Filoe attacked outside Rodez city hall in the south of France

Police at the scene of the stabbing of Pascal Filoe, head of the municipal police, in Rodez (Jose Torres/AFP/Getty Images)

A police chief has been stabbed to death outside Rodez city hall in the south of France.

Pascal Filoé was attacked by a man in the street at around 10am on Thursday.

Mr Filoé, who was the head of the municipal police and director of prevention and public security, died in hospital three hours later.

The suspect was chased from the scene by witnesses and was arrested by police after taking refuge in a nearby shop.

He had issued threats against officials in Rodez after his unlicensed dog was taken away, according to local reports.

"The attacker was known to police. He had defaced the city hall door on 11 April," said the mayor of Rodez, Christian Teyssèdre.

Patricia Mirallès, a member of the National Assembly, tweeted a picture of Mr Filoe, a father-of-three, and said he had "lost his life in intolerable circumstances in the course of his duties".

Officials are offering emergency psychological support for staff affected by the attack.

Additional reporting by Associated Press