On 14 July 2002, 25-year-old Brunerie attempted to assassinate French president Jacques Chirac by firearm during the Bastille Day parade on the Champs-Élysées. The week before the attempt, Brunerie obtained a.22 Rifle. On the day before the attempt, Brunerie left a message on the Combat 18guestbook saying "Watch the Tv This Sunday, i will be the star... Death to zog,88!" Armed with a.22 rifle hidden in a guitar case, Brunerie attempted to fire one shot from the sidewalk at the passing presidential motorcade before spectators noticed Brunerie. Brunerie then attempted suicide but spectators were able to divert his gun before the police were able to arrest him. According to police, the shot was very wide and the shooter's inexperience and lack of preparation made unlikely a successful assassination attempt. Brunerie was found to have been linked to the far-right group Unité Radicale, and had been a candidate for the far-right partyMouvement National Républicain at a local election, as well as being associated with the French and European Nationalist Party. After the police searched his house, they found a copy of Mein Kampf and a skinhead-themed music CD. Brunerie's trial began on 6 December 2004. The court eventually found the defendant guilty of attempted murder, judging that his mental responsibility, though diminished, was not abolished. On 10 December 2004, Brunerie was sentenced to ten years of prison. He was freed after seven years in jail, on 3 August 2009.
After his release
He stated that he did not want to kill Chirac, he wanted to commit suicide by cop by being beaten to death by the GIGN. He finished his BTS in management accounting in prison. He was interviewed by Europe 1 not too long after his release, stating that he "lost it" in 2002 and wants to move on. In 2011, he released an autobiography titled A normal life : I wanted to kill Jacques Chirac and now says he is far from any political activism. The same year he founded a book reselling company. His political views changed; he requested a membership for the Democratic Movement but he got denied. He voted for Ségolène Royal in the 2011 elections. In 2011, he posted an update on a literary review called Bordel; the update was removed before the review was published. In 2012, he triggered a controversy by participating in the jury of a literary prize created by Laurence Biava. In 2013, he participated in an protest against same-sex marriage, where he was suspected of violence against his companion.
