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ONE POLICE OFFICER has been killed and two others wounded in a shooting on Paris’s famed Champs Elysees, just days ahead of France’s presidential election.
France’s interior ministry said the gunman was killed after opening fire on the officers at around 9pm (8pm Irish time) on the boulevard.
Anti-terror prosecutors have opened an investigation. The so-called Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.
“The attacker arrived by car and got out. He opened fire on a police car with an automatic weapon, killing one of the police officers and trying to attack others while running,” a police source told AFP, asking not be named.
The shopping street in the heart of the city has been blocked by armed officers and nearby metro stations have been closed.
Witnesses recounted scenes of panic as people ran for cover and sought shelter.
“We had to hide our customers in the basement,” Choukri Chouanine, manager of a restaurant near the site of the shooting, told AFP, saying there was “lots of gunfire”.
Dozens of vehicles from the emergency services were sent to the area, where a helicopter was also deployed.
French President Francois Hollande said that the shooting was suspected to be “of a terrorist nature”. He promised “absolute vigilance” ahead of the weekend election.
Extremist
Two police officials said the assailant who shot the officers had been flagged as an extremist, according to the Associated Press.
The officials had no other details about the attacker, the news agency reported. They spoke on condition of anonymity to share information about the ongoing investigation.
It’s reported that a raid has taken place at the home of the attacker.
In comments to the media at the White House, US President Donald Trump said the incident “looks like another terrorist attack,” and sent his condolences to France.
France is in a state of emergency and at its highest possible level of alert since a string of terror attacks that began in 2015, and which have killed over 230 people.
Thousands of troops and armed police have been deployed to guard tourist spots such as the Champs Elysees or other potential targets like government buildings and religious sites.
The shooting comes just two days after police arrested two men in southern Marseille with weapons and explosives, who were suspected of preparing an attack to disrupt the first-round of the presidential election on Sunday.
Aides to a number of the candidates said they had halted campaigning in the wake of the attack.
With reporting from AFP and AP.
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I like when a good news story is reported. The world and the media are growing increasingly pessimistic year on year
Very true
Great news
It is indeed good news that such a necessary service will be available.
Once again though, it’s another area that govt are off the hook on because such organisations are so bloody good. It’s shameful that such a service would ever need to get to a point where anything can be described as a “deal” is struck.
Brilliant news, well done to all involved for getting this through. Lets hope that this crucial service is never at risk again.
I’d rather tax payers money went into childline that into some crony boss working in Irish water pocket.
About f£$king time.
Scandalous that this service has to go with a begging bowl to this heartless bunch of clowns
Xmas has come early for a lot of kids….Great news!!!
Alan , I would go that far now to say that , the children who need the service are usually very sad and very distressed or hurting !
But for children in distress it will be a lifeline and off some hope or support that wouldn’t be there otherwise if the government hadn’t stepped in and done what they should have years ago.
Great news but a damming verdict on this most out of touch, uncaring and unrepresentative government that even contemplated stopping funding to this.
More evidence…if any was needed….that this regime puts bankers, bondholders, corrupt tax dodging businessmen and themselves before the well being and security of children and how much of a joke the children referendum was.
Well said Dermot.
Complete and utter boll1x. Charities have always been around and have always needed public funding. Childcare have been around longer than the current government and have always required a mix of state and government funding.
The Government is very good at passing the buck and avoiding its responsibility. They will however take credit for the hard work these charities provide and make no mistake they have no problem in allowing their members ie Frank Flannery milk it for personal profit. We have seen this in the recent Rehab affair. Simply put this Government has shown a total lack of compassion in ransacking peoples pensions and promoting the interests of its golden circle. This Government is an absolute disgrace just like their predecessors.
It’s Childline dude. ISPCC traditionally only took around 5% of funding from Government so it could remain as the independent voice of children. This €1m puts a sticky plaster over its longer term funding issues which hopefully their new CEO who starts in February will bring and get their fundraising up to speed. As far as I know Eircom ‘donate’ the call costs so they are free and don’t cost the caller or Childline anything. Think the funding shortfall is the whole organisation, not just the Childline service.
The organisation that runs Childline took children away from their parents and put them into industrial schools. The men who did this were known as “the cruelty men”. Anyone who is not fully informed on this issue should watch the fact-based film “Evelyn”, in which the father of the girl whose first name is the title of the film is played by Pierce Brosnan.
Children who are being abused by their parents and want to talk about it should tell the Gardaí. Therefore, there is no need for Childline.
Ciaran , it is not as simple as just going to the gardai and reporting it , some kids are terrified of the consequences , they are usually worn down by their abusers and totally believe all the threats and warnings they receive to keep quiet .
@Joan
Awareness of child abuse is much greater than it used to be. Therefore, the signs of abuse are more likely to be picked up on and victims are less likely to think that what abusive parents do to them is what normal parents do. If the victims believe the threats made by their abusers then Childline won’t make a difference.
After all, Childline had no effect in the Roscommon incest case. The local gardaí knew that the mother was neglecting her children but they referred the neglect to social workers instead of arresting her. Furthermore, the social workers could have appealed the injunction that was granted to the mother but they didn’t bother to do so. They had the power to intervene at an early stage under Article 42.5 of the Constitution.
Ciaran , awareness is much better , I agree there but services like that are needed , its there for any child who is feeling sad and lonely , at least its there for the kids to pick up the phone and know someone will listen t them and offer some comfort , its nor just for kids who are abused .
@Joan
It’s better if there is a caring person available to talk to a lonely child face-to-face instead of on the phone.
Alan your so true them social workers and services are all a joke
Ciaran I agree with you , it is much better to talk face to face with someone but that isn’t always possible . there is a lot of reasons too why children can’t do that , so the likes of these services are needed for the kids out there .
At pay levels similar to CRC this is a complete waste of tax payers bob’s
@ Jerry.
That 190k should pay for about 3 of the top people at the ISPCC where do people think the few million they receive, go? mainly salaries. Very few people seem to ask the “awkward” questions of these “charities”
Sad to see this charity with a begging bowl to the state. It used to be independent. Unsure about this news.
have your say