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Paris police shoot man who attacked officer outside Notre Dame Cathedral Paris police shoot man who attacked officer outside Notre Dame Cathedral
(35 minutes later)
Police in Paris have shot and injured a man who tried to attack an officer with a hammer outside Notre Dame Cathedral.Police in Paris have shot and injured a man who tried to attack an officer with a hammer outside Notre Dame Cathedral.
The man attempted to assault the officer as he patrolled on the esplanade in front of the cathedral in the French capital, said Cedric Michel, a police union official.The man attempted to assault the officer as he patrolled on the esplanade in front of the cathedral in the French capital, said Cedric Michel, a police union official.
Plainclothes police officers, doctors and paramedics surrounded the suspected attacker, who was taken to hospital after being shot in the throat. Plainclothes police officers, doctors and paramedics surrounded the suspected attacker, who was taken to hospital after being shot in the legs.
Yves Lefebvre, a police spokesman, said: “The man approached a police officer, took a hammer from his backpack and hit the police officer over the head. His colleague saw what happened and shot him [the attacker]. I understand the police officer who was attacked is slightly hurt.”Yves Lefebvre, a police spokesman, said: “The man approached a police officer, took a hammer from his backpack and hit the police officer over the head. His colleague saw what happened and shot him [the attacker]. I understand the police officer who was attacked is slightly hurt.”
An American man who was in Notre Dame on Tuesday afternoon tweeted from inside the cathedral:An American man who was in Notre Dame on Tuesday afternoon tweeted from inside the cathedral:
Police asking everyone to raise their hands in the church pic.twitter.com/y5KkyWqdWKPolice asking everyone to raise their hands in the church pic.twitter.com/y5KkyWqdWK
Police asked people to stay away from the area, which has been evacuated. Large numbers of police cars surrounded the cathedral on the Île de la Cité island in the river Seine in the centre of Paris. Police asked people to stay away from the area, which was evacuated. Large numbers of police cars surrounded the cathedral on the Île de la Cité island on the river Seine in the centre of Paris.
The French prosecutor’s office said the counter-terrorism office had launched an investigation into the incident. Police said the area would remain sealed until they were confident there was no further danger.The French prosecutor’s office said the counter-terrorism office had launched an investigation into the incident. Police said the area would remain sealed until they were confident there was no further danger.
Forty minutes after the incident, the Paris prefecture of police tweeted: “Situation under control. One police officer injured. The attacker has been neutralised and taken to hospital.”Forty minutes after the incident, the Paris prefecture of police tweeted: “Situation under control. One police officer injured. The attacker has been neutralised and taken to hospital.”
The city remains under high security after a string of terror attacks in recent years, including several targeting police officers and security personnel. France has been under a state of emergency that was introduced following the Islamic extremist attack in Paris in November 2015 that killed 130 people.
In April, an attacker opened fire on a police van on the Champs Élysées, killing one and gravely wounding two others. The attacker was shot dead by police. The city remains on high alert after a series of further attacks in recent years, including several targeting police officers and security personnel.
That incident recalled two recent attacks on soldiers providing security at prominent locations around Paris, one at the Louvre museum in February and one at Orly airport in March. In April, an attacker opened fire on a police van on the Champs Élysées, killing one and gravely wounding two others. The assailant was shot dead by police.
The incident recalled two recent attacks on soldiers providing security at prominent locations around Paris, one at the Louvre museum in February and one at Orly airport in March.