Paris, France- Two police officers were shot by a gunman on Champs-Élysées, a popular tourist boulevard in the capital. One police officer was killed and the other wounded after the gunman got out of a vehicle and fired at the officers. The gunman’s identity has not been released yet but he reportedly killed himself after shooting the police officers. Authorities stated this shooting was possibly a terrorist attack.

Police said the shooting was very probably a “terrorist act,” according to Reuters, while other reports suggested robbery may have been the motive. The French interior ministry said it was too early to judge the reason behind the attack.

A witness identified only as Ines told French television station BFM that she heard a shooting and saw a man’s body on the ground, and that the area was quickly evacuated by police.

Another reportedly said they saw a man get out of a car and begin firing a Kalashnikov rifle.

A third witness told local media: “Suddenly everyone got up and started running, we didn’t even have the time to understand what was happening.

“We heard one or two gunshots, it wasn’t a Kalashnikov, it was shot by shot. We ran. I really didn’t understand what was happening, we moved down the street, police told us to move down further.

“I didn’t see if they were two, three or just one assailant. We just ran.

“We heard two gunshots. All the people sat on the terrace got up and ran, chairs were falling over.”- The Independent

This week French police claim to have thwarted an imminent terrorist attack prior to the presidential election after arresting two men with explosives, weapons, and ISIS materials in their apartment.

More to follow as the situation is still developing.

Image courtesy of Reuters