ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty Images(PARIS) — A French soldier on duty at the Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall in Paris opened fire Friday morning on a machete-wielding man who attempted to attack a group of soldiers and police officers, according to police.
French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve described the attack as “terrorist in nature,” and has opened a terror investigation. There is a significant presence of soldiers in the French capital since the country is in an extended state of emergency until July 2017.
Paris Police Chief Michel Cadot said the man, armed with a machete and shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great” in Arabic), launched himself at soldiers and police officers.
One of the soldiers shot the attacker five times, seriously wounding him in the stomach, Cadot said.
Cadot said the attacker was also carrying two backpacks but they were later found not to contain any explosives.
One soldier had a minor scalp injury, said Cadot.
A spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior, speaking at the scene, said a second person had been arrested at the scene and their “possible connection” to the incident was being investigated. It was not clear if this person had a direct connection to the attacker.
France’s Ministry of the Interior initially tweeted in French that a “serious” security incident occurred near the Louvre Museum.
Evénement grave de #sécurité publique en cours à #Paris quartier du #Louvre, priorité à l’intervention des forces de sécurité et de secours pic.twitter.com/PxTLacJk7a
— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) February 3, 2017
The area surrounding the Louvre was evacuated and about 250 visitors to the museum were kept in secure parts of the facility. They were to be evacuated in small groups after the necessary security checks.
Something is going down at The #Louvre 30 National Police vehicles with guns drawn pic.twitter.com/kpLTCtVdZN
— VoiceB0xx (@voiceb0xx) February 3, 2017
A photo posted to Twitter (below) shows how traffic on Rue de Rivoli was brought to a standstill following the attack.
Quand la rue de Rivoli est fermée après attaque d’un militaire. #Paris #Rivoli pic.twitter.com/lNLrDJmohq
— Maxime Signoret (@MaximeSignoret) February 3, 2017
As of 10:22 a.m. local time, Paris transit officials tweeted that the Palais Royal Louvre Museum subway stop was closed due to a “security measure.”
10:22, Par mesure de sécurité, Palais Royal Musée du Louvre fermée au public sur la #Ligne7.Les trains passent sans marquer l’arrêt #RATP
— Ligne 7 RATP (@Ligne7_RATP) February 3, 2017
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