The pair were already under observation by the Renseignements Généraux, the French intelligence services, prior to the incident due to their involvement with an underground political group.
When the police searched their squat after the killings, they found revolutionary and anarchist literature, such as The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord.
The pair climbed the perimeter fence with the intention of stealing the service firearms of the two policemen on night duty inside and neutralizing them with their own handcuffs.
A passenger, Georges Monnier, was already on board and they threatened them with their arms, ordering the driver to drive to the Place de la Nation.
Ten minutes after hijacking the taxi, having reached the edge of Place de la Nation, Dialoo noticed a police patrol car with three officers returning to their base in the 11th arrondissement after finishing their duty.
A chase began and Maupin fired through the rear window of the Renault causing a motorcycle patrolman to be lightly injured hitting the ground.
Rey was held on remand at the Maison d'Arrêt des Femmes at Fleury Merogis while awaiting trial, where she spent her time reading and doing drama.
Abdelhakim Dekhar, who was accused of having supplied a gun to the couple, was sentenced to four years in prison but was released soon after, having already served much of his time before the verdict.
The anarchist rock group Chumbawamba dedicated their song "Stitch That" to Florence Rey at live performances shortly after the incident.
Artist Chantal Montellier wrote and illustrated a comic book, Les Damnés de Nanterre, to dispute the official account of the event.