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Police Shoot Attacker Outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris Police Shoot Attacker Outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — An officer shot and wounded an assailant armed with a hammer and knives on the square outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Tuesday afternoon, the local authorities said.PARIS — An officer shot and wounded an assailant armed with a hammer and knives on the square outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Tuesday afternoon, the local authorities said.
The cathedral, a Gothic landmark on the Île de la Cité in the Seine River, was sealed off, and visitors and worshipers were told not to leave. The square in front of the cathedral was evacuated. The officer was wounded, and the attacker was taken to a hospital, the police said. The cathedral, a Gothic landmark on the Île de la Cité in the Seine, was sealed off, and visitors and worshipers were told not to leave. The square in front of the cathedral was evacuated. The officer was wounded, and the assailant was hospitalized, the police said.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had opened a terrorism investigation and confirmed that the man had attacked the police officer with a hammer. He also had two knives with him, the office said.The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had opened a terrorism investigation and confirmed that the man had attacked the police officer with a hammer. He also had two knives with him, the office said.
The officer was lightly wounded, the prosecutor’s office said, adding it was still unclear whether more than one officer opened fire. The officer was lightly wounded, the prosecutor’s office said, adding that it was still unclear if more than one officer had opened fire.
On Twitter, the authorities said that a police operation was underway and that people should avoid the area. On Twitter, the authorities announced that a police operation was underway and that people should avoid the area.
About 900 people were inside Notre Dame when the shooting occurred, Karine Dalle, the press attaché for the Paris archdiocese, said in a text message, adding that they were “sitting calmly” and had been told about the event. Two auxiliary bishops were present as well, she said, and were reassuring the crowd. She said there was no panic inside the cathedral. About 900 people were inside Notre Dame when the shooting occurred, Karine Dalle, a spokeswoman for the Paris archdiocese, said in a text message, adding that those present were “sitting calmly” and had been told about the event. Two auxiliary bishops were also present, Ms. Dalle said, and reassured the crowd. She said that there had been no panic inside the cathedral.
A witness inside Notre Dame reported that the visitors and worshipers were safe. A witness inside Notre Dame reported on Twitter that visitors and worshipers were safe.
Three major terrorist attacks in France, in January and in November in 2015, and in July 2016, claimed more than 230 lives, and the country remains under a state of emergency. Three major terrorist attacks in France, in January 2015, November 2015 and July 2016, claimed more than 230 lives, and the country remains under a state of emergency.
Landmarks across France, the world’s most-visited country, are considered especially vulnerable, despite constant policing.Landmarks across France, the world’s most-visited country, are considered especially vulnerable, despite constant policing.
In February, a 29-year-old man armed with two large knives and shouting “God is great” in Arabic lunged at a military patrol near an entrance to the Louvre in Paris and slashed a soldier. He was shot by a soldier. In February, a 29-year-old man armed with two large knives and shouting “God is great” in Arabic lunged at a military patrol near an entrance to the Louvre in Paris and wounded a soldier. The assailant was shot by another soldier.
The cathedral, which dates to the 12th century, has been the site of suicides in the past. About 13 million people visit Notre Dame every year, making it the most visited site in France. In contrast, 7.4 million people visited the Louvre in 2016.
Antonieta Rivas Mercado, a Mexican intellectual and arts patron, shot herself near the altar in 1931, after she was rejected by a lover. The attack outside the cathedral came just days before crucial legislative elections, the first round of which will take place on Sunday.
In 2013, Dominique Venner, a right-wing essayist, killed himself near the altar after protesting a law legalizing same-sex marriage and warning of an imminent takeover of France by “Islamists.” President Emmanuel Macron has announced he will create a special task force to better coordinate the fight against terrorism.
Speaking to the newspaper Le Parisien this week, Gérard Collomb, the newly appointed interior minister, said that terrorist threats were “extremely high” in Europe and that security forces in France were more vigilant than ever.