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Strasbourg shooting: What we know so far Strasbourg shooting: What we know so far
(about 7 hours later)
The attack began just before 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT), in the heart of Strasbourg's Christmas market, which attracts thousands of visitors at this time of year. A gunman opened fire near a crowded Christmas market in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, killing at least two people and leaving one brain-dead.
A lone gunman opened fire in the city centre, killing at least two people and sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. The attack on the evening of 11 December left 12 other people injured, six of them seriously.
He was seen holding a gun outside 10, rue des Orfèvres in the centre of the city, according to the Paris public prosecutor Rémy Heitz. Hundreds of officers are involved in the search for the suspect, who has been identified as 29-year-old Chérif Chekatt and was already known to the authorities.
He then went around the area, down the following streets in succession: rue des Grandes Arcades, rue du Saumon, rue des Chandelles and rue Sainte-Hélène, before going on to rue du Pont Saint-Martin. How did the attack unfold?
Along the way he opened fire several times and also used a knife to seriously wound and kill people, Mr Heitz said. The attack unfolded at around 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) close to one of Strasbourg's central squares, Place Kléber.
When faced by four soldiers of the anti-terror Sentinelle operation, he fired in their direction; they fired back, wounding him in the arm. The attacker was seen holding a gun outside 10, Rue des Orfèvres in the centre of the city, according to the Paris public prosecutor, Rémy Heitz.
He then left the area shortly after 20:00 in a taxi which dropped him off in the Neudorf area, south-east of the city centre, about 10 minutes later. He then went around the area, down the following streets in succession: Rue des Grandes Arcades, Rue du Saumon, Rue des Chandelles and Rue Sainte-Hélène, before going on to Rue du Pont Saint-Martin.
The taxi driver said the man asked him to take him to that district without giving an address and saying he would guide him there. Along the way he opened fire several times and also used a knife to seriously wound and kill people, Mr Heitz added, saying the suspect yelled "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest" in Arabic) during the rampage.
The driver added he could see he had a hand gun and several wounds. When faced by four soldiers of the anti-terror Sentinelle operation, he fired in their direction. They fired back, wounding him in the arm.
To explain the origin of his wounds, the man told him he had shot people in the centre of the city, adding he had shot at soldiers and "killed 10 people". He managed to reach a taxi which drove him away from the scene and dropped him in the vicinity of the police station in Neudorf, the area where he lives which sits on the border between Germany and France.
The taxi driver, who has spoken to the police, said the man had asked to be taken to that district without giving an address, saying he would guide him there.
The driver also said he could see the man had a hand gun and several wounds. To explain the origin of his wounds, the suspect said he had killed 10 people and that he had been injured in a firefight with soldiers.
After he got out of the taxi, the gunman came across police officers and exchanged fire with them.After he got out of the taxi, the gunman came across police officers and exchanged fire with them.
He also mentioned to the taxi driver the fact that a grenade had been found at his home that morning. The suspect also told the driver that a grenade had been found at his home that morning. That allowed investigators to link the man with a police search undertaken earlier on Tuesday.
This allowed investigators to link the man with a police search undertaken on Tuesday morning, Mr Heitz said. During that operation, which was part of investigations into a robbery and a homicide, police had found a defensive grenade, a loaded rifle and four knives, the prosecutor said.
Police had earlier conducted a search at the man's home as part of investigations into a robbery and a homicide. What do we know about the suspect?
During that search, police had found a defensive grenade, a loaded rifle and four knives, Mr Heitz said. Born in Strasbourg in February 1989, Chekatt was already known to the security services as a possible Islamist terrorist threat.
Several areas neighbouring the Christmas market were sealed off on Tuesday evening and residents were told to stay indoors. He has 27 convictions for crimes including robbery spanning France, Germany and Switzerland, and has spent considerable time in prison as a result.
Many people took refuge in local restaurants, bars and shops. He is thought to have become radicalised during his time in prison, and was noticed by the relevant authorities in 2015 for that reason.
People blocked in the city centre were allowed to leave at about 01:30. He was the subject of a "fiché S", a watchlist of people who represent a potential threat to national security, and was being monitored by the DGSI, France's domestic intelligence agency, Mr Heitz said.
What do we know about the gunman? Hours after the attack, four people connected to the suspect were detained in Strasbourg, Mr Heitz added. Sources close to the investigation quoted by Reuters news agency said they were the suspect's mother, father and two brothers.
French prosecutors have named the suspect as Chérif Chekatt, 29, born in Strasbourg in February 1989.
He served time in prison in France and Germany for common-law offences, mainly robbery and violence, Mr Heitz said.
He was sentenced 27 times mainly in France, but also in Germany and Switzerland.
He is thought to have become radicalised during his time in prison, and was noticed by the relevant authorities in 2015 for that reason, he said.
He became "fiché S" - someone with an S file, which is used to flag someone who is considered a possible terrorist threat - around that time, and was being monitored by the DGSI, France's domestic intelligence agency, Mr Heitz added.
Who are the victims?Who are the victims?
At least two people were killed in the attack and 13 wounded, eight of them seriously, including one who had been declared as brain dead, Mr Heitz said.
A Thai tourist was one of the victims, named as Anupong Suebsamarn, 45, according to Thai media reports. He had recently arrived in the country on holiday, they say. He was killed with a bullet in the head on rue des Moulins, according to local TV.A Thai tourist was one of the victims, named as Anupong Suebsamarn, 45, according to Thai media reports. He had recently arrived in the country on holiday, they say. He was killed with a bullet in the head on rue des Moulins, according to local TV.
Another victim was a local resident, Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries told French TV. The man, born in 1957, died on rue des Chandelles, local TV reported.Another victim was a local resident, Strasbourg Mayor Roland Ries told French TV. The man, born in 1957, died on rue des Chandelles, local TV reported.
Of the seriously wounded, two were stabbed in the abdomen, two others were shot in the head and another was shot in the back of the neck, it said, quoting a hospital source.Of the seriously wounded, two were stabbed in the abdomen, two others were shot in the head and another was shot in the back of the neck, it said, quoting a hospital source.
An Italian journalist working for Europhonica - a radio news organisation covering the European Parliament in the city - was among the seriously wounded, French and Italian media reported.An Italian journalist working for Europhonica - a radio news organisation covering the European Parliament in the city - was among the seriously wounded, French and Italian media reported.
In a tweeted statement, Europhonica said it "cannot confirm any news of his condition" and asked for his privacy to be respected. It added that a French staff member was also injured. but did not say to what extent.In a tweeted statement, Europhonica said it "cannot confirm any news of his condition" and asked for his privacy to be respected. It added that a French staff member was also injured. but did not say to what extent.