A police chief has been stabbed to death in the southern French city of Rodez in an attack in broad daylight.

Pascal Filoe, in charge of security at Rodez town hall and a father of three, was killed near the city hall building in the town centre.

The unnamed suspect, who was arrested and placed in custody, was known to police for damaging a patio door at the town hall in April.

Cédric Michel, head of the union for the defence of municipal police officers, said that the suspect “had settled in the Aveyron area in the last few months and was known to police for possessing a category one (attack) dog. The animal is believed to have recently been confiscated.” This reportedly led him to threaten the mayor and the police chief.

Mr Filoe died of his injuries shortly in hospital shortly after the incident.

The attack took place on Thursday morning in a road next to the town hall.

Officials said emergency psychological counselling would be made available to staff shocked by the stabbing.

According to a witness, after the attack, the suspect was chased by a municipal employee and hid in a nearby shop before being arrested.