PARIS - A French police officer who voluntarily took the place of a hostage during a deadly supermarket attack in southwestern France on Friday has died, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said.

The police officer had been left fighting for his life after being hit by gunfire inside the Super U supermarket in the town of Trebes before elite police raided the premises and killed the attacker, who had burst into the store yelling "Allahu Akbar (God is greater)".

Le lieutenant-colonel Arnaud Beltrame nous a quittés.
Mort pour la patrie.
Jamais la France n’oubliera son héroïsme, sa bravoure, son sacrifice.
Le coeur lourd, j’adresse le soutien du pays tout entier à sa famille, ses proches et ses compagnons de la @Gendarmerie de l’Aude. pic.twitter.com/I1h8eO7f9a

— Gérard Collomb (@gerardcollomb) March 24, 2018

"Dead for his country. France will never forget his heroism, bravery and sacrifice," Collomb said in a Twitter message in which he gave the officer's name, Arnaud Beltrame.