Xavier Jugele was one of the officers who raced to the Bataclan concert hall the night three armed men in suicide bombs stormed a show and slaughtered 90 people on Nov. 13, 2015.
In the latest attack, Jugele was the only person killed when an assailant opened fire with an assault rifle on a police van parked on the Champs-Elysees. The Islamic State group quickly claimed responsibility, and authorities say the gunman had a note defending IS with him.
"He was a very simple man, with a big heart. A real nice guy," Flag! Vice President Alain Parmentier told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "And he really loved his job."
Jugele was in the van's driver's seat when he was shot dead. Two other officers were wounded. The attacker was shot and killed by officers at the scene.
More From This Section
Both officers returned to the concert venue a year later when it reopened with a concert by Sting. Jugele told People magazine at the time how happy he was to be "here to defend our civic values."
"It's symbolic. We're here tonight as witnesses. This concert's to celebrate life. To say no to terrorists," he said.
"It was one of his final missions, he was about to join another service," Parmentier said.
Jugele had received praised from his bosses earlier this year for his courage during the evacuation of a building ravaged by an accidental blast in the western Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt.
Laurent said Jugele had also served in Greece for Frontex, the agency in charge of border control of Europe's 26-nation Schengen Area.