BEN-GURION AIRPORT, Israel — An Israeli police officer fatally shot himself in the head at an airport farewell ceremony Tuesday for French President Nicolas Sarkozy, prompting bodyguards to whisk the visiting leader and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to safety, officials said.
A military band was playing at the time of the shooting, and the dignitaries apparently didn’t hear anything. Dark- suited security men quickly ushered Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, up the stairs of his plane at Ben-Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv.
Security guards, their guns drawn, also rushed Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres toward their cars.
The policeman, who was on a roof about 100 yards from Sarkozy’s plane, fell to the ground after shooting himself, and his sheet-covered body lay on the tarmac afterward.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld denied reports that there had been an assassination attempt on Sarkozy, and other police officials said the leaders were never in danger.
“We are currently investigating the circumstances to see whether it was suicide or if he accidentally discharged his weapon,” said area police commander Nissim Mor.
Sarkozy was ending a three-day visit.
