A gunman killed 3 and wounded 4 in central Paris.
Witnesses say the attacker targeted a Kurdish cultural center and restaurant, and investigators will investigate a racist motive.
A 69-year-old suspect was apprehended and then released.
Authorities asked residents of Paris’s 10th district to avoid Strasbourg-Saint Denis.
Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau revealed that the suspect had recently been released a year after attacking migrant camp tents with a sword.
8 December 2021 at Bercy. His release was unclear.
Mayor Alexandra Cordebard said three businesses were targeted: a Kurdish community center, a restaurant, and a hair salon. The salon had two shootings.
“We witnessed an old white man arrive, then start shooting in the Kurdish cultural center,” Romain told AFP.
One shopkeeper stated, “We’re shut in.”
The witness heard 7–8 gunshots. Two victims are in critical condition, while two others are gravely hurt.
Police arrested the suspect without resistance and recovered the firearm. Prosecutors launched a murder probe. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo commended police action.
The attack happened exactly 10 years after three Kurdish women were killed in Paris in 2013.
Near Château d’Eau metro station are restaurants, shops, and a cultural center. It’s a bustling area, remarked Alexandra Cordebard.
Another witness reported emergency services were waiting to leave the street.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin is headed to Paris to examine the “dramatic shooting” scene. His condolences are with the victims’ friends and family.
