NEW TERRORIST ATTACK IN PARIS
One policeman dead and two critical after gunman goes on rampage on Champs-Elysees... just days before French elections
A POLICE officer was killed last night in a terror attack on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
Just three days before the French presidential election, a gunman opened fire on a police bus which had stopped at a red light on the boulevard. Two other police officers were also hit and were last night said to be critical. One of the casualties was reported to be a female officer.
The Kalashnikov-wielding attacker was later shot dead. Sources said he was known to the French security services, who confirmed last night that he was an extremist suspect. Police later claimed shots had been fired at a second location nearby.
Officers said they were searching for a potential second assailant, and a police source said an arrest warrant had been issued for a suspect who had arrived in Paris from Belgium by train. Last night
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the shootings, naming the attacker as ‘a soldier’ called Abu Yo us if, from Belgium.
Police said the circumstances of the shooting had ‘not been determined’ but anti-terror prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.
US President Donald Trump said: ‘It looks like another terrorist attack. What can you say? It never ends.’
At a press conference, President Francois Hollande said he was convinced the attack was a terrorist act.
He was due to hold a crisis meeting with Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and interior minister Matthias Fekl.
Mr Cazeneuve tweeted: ‘Tribute to the policeman killed on the Champs-Elysees tonight, thoughts to his family.
‘Solidarity with their injured colleagues and relatives.’
Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told France’s BFMTV news channel: ‘On the face of it, the officers were deliberately targeted.’
Mr Brandet said a car pulled up alongside a police bus and a man got out, opening fire with an automatic weapon at the bus.
After killing an officer, he attempted to run away while shooting at other officers, two of whom he injured, the spokesman added. He was then shot dead by security forces.
Last night it emerged that the killer was known to the security services and had talked of wanting to kill police officers on the Telegram internet messaging service, which has been favoured by extremists because of its encryption.
The bustling avenue in the heart of the city, which is usually teeming with tourists and Parisians, was blocked by armed officers and Metro stations in the area were closed. Families were also warned to stay in their hotels.
An eyewitness who gave his first name as Chelloug, said: ‘It was one of the policemen who fell. And the one policeman who was injured I think.
‘I was two metres away from the van. If it hadn’t have been for the van, he’d have killed me I think. It was a terrorist.
‘He came out with a Kalashnikov and started shooting, but he could’ve shot us on the pavement and killed more people with a spray of shots – but he targeted the policemen and fortunately there were the policemen who killed him.
‘I was walking on the pavement and there was a police van and the guy came out in an Audi 80, an old grey Audi. He parked just behind the van and he got out with Kalashnikov. I heard six gunshots. I think he hit a policeman. As soon as the policeman opened the door of the van, he fell I think.
‘As soon as we saw that, we all ran back inside the shop. We hid and went up to the first floor. We saw them, the police shoot at the perpetrator.’ The shooting comes just two days after the arrest of two men found with a cache of weapons and explosives in Marseilles.
They were suspected of preparing an attack to disrupt the first round of the presidential election on Sunday. It came a month after a terror attack on London, when crazed jihadist Khalid Masood ran down and killed three victims on Westminster Bridge and then fatally stabbed PC Keith Palmer at Parliament.
Jihadism is a major issue in the French presidential election after attacks claimed by IS.
Last night’s attack was the fourth major attack to hit France in less than two years.
In January 2015 ten journalists and two policemen were killed in the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris.
More than 130 people were murdered in Paris in November 2015 when seven different attacks were carried out on the same night.
On Bastille Day – July 14 – last year a truck was driven into crowds on the Nice seafront, killing 86.
Last night it was reported that police searches were taking place at the home of the dead Champs-Elysees gunman in the east of the city.
A spokesman for the police said the attacker targeted officers guarding the area near the Franklin Roosevelt subway station.