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Paris nursery school shooting: Man kills himself Paris primary school shooting: Man kills himself
(about 4 hours later)
A man in his 60s has shot himself in front of a dozen children at a nursery school close to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, French officials say. A man in his 50s has shot himself in front of a dozen children at a primary school close to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, French officials say.
He is said to have entered the school in the 7th arrondissement with a sawn-off shotgun.He is said to have entered the school in the 7th arrondissement with a sawn-off shotgun.
The man then turned the weapon on himself and pulled the trigger in front of the children and an adult, Le Parisien newspaper reports. The man then turned the weapon on himself and pulled the trigger in front of the children and a teacher, Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said.
Police have opened an investigation into the incident.Police have opened an investigation into the incident.
No information has so far been released about the man's identity or motives. Earlier reports put the man in his 60s and said the incident had occurred at a nursery.
French Education Minister Vincent Peillon cut short a trip to Brussels to visit the school on Thursday afternoon. Authorities said he may have had personal issues but released no further information about his identity or motives.
The nursery, said to be a private Catholic school, is located in the rue Cler, a famous market street close to the Eiffel Tower. The area has been cordoned off. The shooting took place at the La Rochefoucauld school. The Catholic establishment is located in the rue Cler, a well-known market street close to the Eiffel Tower.
'It was horrible''It was horrible'
The incident took place shortly before noon on Thursday as children were leaving the school premises for the lunch break, police officials said. The incident happened shortly before noon on Thursday as children were leaving the school premises for the lunch break, police officials said.
Witnesses told local media the man entered the school "without difficulty". The man forced his way into the building, pushing aside two adults.
A dozen children witnessed the shooting, the office of Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said in a statement. A dozen children witnessed the shooting, the office of Mayor Delanoe said in a statement.
French Education Minister Vincent Peillon, who cut short an official visit to Brussels, said the man had no link to the school.
"It is a very painful matter because it has happened at a school, but the security inside the school isn't to blame," he told reporters on Thursday.
One of the children told French broadcaster Europe 1 she heard a gunshot and "saw all the blood".One of the children told French broadcaster Europe 1 she heard a gunshot and "saw all the blood".
"I saw the man fall backwards when he killed himself," she said, adding "It was horrible.""I saw the man fall backwards when he killed himself," she said, adding "It was horrible."
A boy who also witnessed the incident, said he was "very frightened".A boy who also witnessed the incident, said he was "very frightened".
"I thought there were terrorists who had guns and were coming into the school. Then I saw the man on the ground with a lot of blood.""I thought there were terrorists who had guns and were coming into the school. Then I saw the man on the ground with a lot of blood."
Authorities are establishing a psychological trauma unit to provide support to children and school staff, local media report.Authorities are establishing a psychological trauma unit to provide support to children and school staff, local media report.
Resident Matthew Fraser, who lives near the school, described the area as an upmarket area of Paris that is home to many foreign embassies.Resident Matthew Fraser, who lives near the school, described the area as an upmarket area of Paris that is home to many foreign embassies.
"It's a safe, quiet, upper-class area," he told the BBC. "No-one would expect this sort of thing to happen here.""It's a safe, quiet, upper-class area," he told the BBC. "No-one would expect this sort of thing to happen here."