The brother of the French police officer who died of his injuries after being shot during the supermarket siege in Trebes, has paid tribute to Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, praising the cop's heroic efforts, saying he "gave his life for strangers".



Cedric Beltrame told RTL radio station on Saturday: "If we don't describe him as a hero, I don't know what you need to do to be a hero. It's a word I think is appropriate for him in such tragic circumstances."



Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame had offered himself up unarmed to the 25-year-old attacker in exchange for a female hostage in the southern town. The attacker shot him and Beltrame later died of his injures.



Meanwhile, his mother told the station on Friday night before the announcement of his death that "I'm not surprised. I knew it had to be him. He has always been like that. It's someone, since he was born, who gives everything for his homeland."



Asked if she was proud of him, she said he would have told her "'I'm doing my job mom, that's all.'"



Following the death of the 44-year-old gendarme, flags at all French gendarmeries have been at half-mast.



While online, the hash-tag #ArnaudBeltrame has been the most used on Twitter in France, with many social media users paying tribute to a "hero" who gave his life to save others.



The manager of the supermarket said her co-worker, who had been saved by Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame's gesture, was in a "catastrophic state" after the death of the officer.



A judicial official says French police searching the home of the man responsible for a deadly rampage in southern France have found notes referring to the Islamic State group that appeared to be a final testament.



Also found in the search of the home were a computer and telephone, the official said Saturday, a day after the attack. He was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and couldn't be named but said there was no mention in the notes of the attack plans.