Paris attack: police officer and suspect shot dead on Champs Elysees with 'several assailants on the loose'
Police officer killed in Champs Elysees shooting
One suspect shot dead
At least one other suspect thought to be on the loose
Central Paris in lockdown
Attack comes three days before presidential election
France under state of emergency
Wednesday
19 April 2017
Paris TIme.
9:21PM
Police: dead suspect 'was known to security services'
Reports that the gunman killed was known to police.
9:14PM
BREAKING Shots fired at new location near Champs Elysees
Police sources tell Reuters there is a second shooting in the area.
9:10PM
'Several assailants in attack'
According to FranceTV Info, there were several assailants, some of whom were still at large.
9:09PM
Trump: 'It never ends'
The US president has said: "It looks like another terrorist attack. What can you say? It never ends."
9:08PM
Footage from the scene
9:04PM
Robbery took place at same time as shooting
Pierre-Henry Brandet, the interior ministry spokesman, said one police officer was killed and two seriously wounded.
“The attacker was shot dead by police and the area remains cordoned off,” Mr Brandet said.
A car stopped near a police van before the attack and was found abandoned. It was suspected that the gunman used it to reach the scene of the attack.
Mr Brandet said a robbery may have been carried out at the same time as the attack. It was unclear if the two were linked.
He said several Métro stations had been closed while police make sure the area is safe.
Ambulances and police vans were seen parked in the middle of the Champs-Elysées near the Arc de Triomphe, with their blue lights flashing, and forensics officers were also at the scene.
8:58PM
Champs Elysees remains sealed off, metro not stopping
8:56PM
Attack comes just three days before presidential election
The attack came three days before the first round of balloting in France's tense presidential election. Security is high preceding the vote after police said they arrested two men Tuesday in what they described as a thwarted terror attack.
The two terror suspects were arrested in Marseille on Tuesday and found an arsenal of weapons and bomb-making equipment in their flat along with an Islamic State (Isil) flag.
It quickly emerged that police had been watching the pair for several weeks before they finally detained them on suspicion of plotting “an imminent and violent attack” in the run-up to Sunday’s first-round vote.
8:49PM
'Nothing is being ruled out'
Yvan Assioma of the police union Alliance said:
The exact circumstances are still unclear but I can confirm the tragic death of one of our colleagues. Our thoughts are very much with the family. One or several attackers have been shot dead by the police. Some officers were hit but the bullets were stopped by their bulletproof vests, but two were hit.
Nothing is being ruled out for the time being, terrorism or a criminal act.
8:48PM
Details of attack emerging
One of the suspects got out of a car and began shooting "with a Kalashnikov", hitting a policeman, an eyewitness has told Reuters.
The officer killed was apparently in a car stopped at a red light.
8:46PM
Helicopters flying low over city centre
Hundreds of heavily-armed officers are out in force on the Champs Elysees and around the Place de la Concorde.
8:39PM
At least two attackers in Paris shooting
Police state there were at least two people involved in the shooting, one of them has been killed.
8:35PM
Shooting happened near Franklin D Roosevelt metro station
The shooting happened near the Métro station Franklin D Roosevelt and the Marks and Spencer store on the Champs-Elysées.
Shops closed their shutters and restaurants locked their doors. Customers remained inside.
8:31PM
Suspect shot dead
The person who fired at police in Paris has been killed, police sources told Reuters.
8:30PM
Police officer killed in central Paris shooting
One of the police officers shot at on Champs Elysees has died, reports said.
The centre of the city is in lockdown.
The wide pavements of the iconic avenue were deserted after the shooting and police urged the public to avoid the area.
People ran for cover and witnesses reported seeing people in tears near the scene.
8:27PM
Reports of police officers being shot at in central Paris
Two police officers have been shot in central Paris, according to reports.
Officers were also investigating a "suspicious package".
Police officer killed in Champs Elysees shooting
One suspect shot dead
At least one other suspect thought to be on the loose
Central Paris in lockdown
Attack comes three days before presidential election
France under state of emergency
Wednesday
19 April 2017
Paris TIme.
9:21PM
Police: dead suspect 'was known to security services'
Reports that the gunman killed was known to police.
9:14PM
BREAKING Shots fired at new location near Champs Elysees
Police sources tell Reuters there is a second shooting in the area.
9:10PM
'Several assailants in attack'
According to FranceTV Info, there were several assailants, some of whom were still at large.
9:09PM
Trump: 'It never ends'
The US president has said: "It looks like another terrorist attack. What can you say? It never ends."
9:08PM
Footage from the scene
9:04PM
Robbery took place at same time as shooting
Pierre-Henry Brandet, the interior ministry spokesman, said one police officer was killed and two seriously wounded.
“The attacker was shot dead by police and the area remains cordoned off,” Mr Brandet said.
A car stopped near a police van before the attack and was found abandoned. It was suspected that the gunman used it to reach the scene of the attack.
Mr Brandet said a robbery may have been carried out at the same time as the attack. It was unclear if the two were linked.
He said several Métro stations had been closed while police make sure the area is safe.
Ambulances and police vans were seen parked in the middle of the Champs-Elysées near the Arc de Triomphe, with their blue lights flashing, and forensics officers were also at the scene.
8:58PM
Champs Elysees remains sealed off, metro not stopping
8:56PM
Attack comes just three days before presidential election
The attack came three days before the first round of balloting in France's tense presidential election. Security is high preceding the vote after police said they arrested two men Tuesday in what they described as a thwarted terror attack.
The two terror suspects were arrested in Marseille on Tuesday and found an arsenal of weapons and bomb-making equipment in their flat along with an Islamic State (Isil) flag.
It quickly emerged that police had been watching the pair for several weeks before they finally detained them on suspicion of plotting “an imminent and violent attack” in the run-up to Sunday’s first-round vote.
8:49PM
'Nothing is being ruled out'
Yvan Assioma of the police union Alliance said:
The exact circumstances are still unclear but I can confirm the tragic death of one of our colleagues. Our thoughts are very much with the family. One or several attackers have been shot dead by the police. Some officers were hit but the bullets were stopped by their bulletproof vests, but two were hit.
Nothing is being ruled out for the time being, terrorism or a criminal act.
8:48PM
Details of attack emerging
One of the suspects got out of a car and began shooting "with a Kalashnikov", hitting a policeman, an eyewitness has told Reuters.
The officer killed was apparently in a car stopped at a red light.
8:46PM
Helicopters flying low over city centre
Hundreds of heavily-armed officers are out in force on the Champs Elysees and around the Place de la Concorde.
8:39PM
At least two attackers in Paris shooting
Police state there were at least two people involved in the shooting, one of them has been killed.
8:35PM
Shooting happened near Franklin D Roosevelt metro station
The shooting happened near the Métro station Franklin D Roosevelt and the Marks and Spencer store on the Champs-Elysées.
Shops closed their shutters and restaurants locked their doors. Customers remained inside.
8:31PM
Suspect shot dead
The person who fired at police in Paris has been killed, police sources told Reuters.
8:30PM
Police officer killed in central Paris shooting
One of the police officers shot at on Champs Elysees has died, reports said.
The centre of the city is in lockdown.
The wide pavements of the iconic avenue were deserted after the shooting and police urged the public to avoid the area.
People ran for cover and witnesses reported seeing people in tears near the scene.
8:27PM
Reports of police officers being shot at in central Paris
Two police officers have been shot in central Paris, according to reports.
Officers were also investigating a "suspicious package".
