Paris shooting: Police officer, gunman shot dead on Champs Elysees; IS claims responsibility

Bystanders are frisked by police officers near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, France, after a fatal shooting in which a police officer was killed along with an attacker. (AP Photo)

A police arrest warrant had been issued earlier on Thursday, warning that a dangerous individual had entered France via a train from Belgium. However, it is yet to be ascertained whether the man was linked to the shooting.

“The sense of duty of our policemen tonight averted a massacre … they prevented a bloodbath on the Champs Elysees,” Interior Minister Matthias Fekl told reporters. Reflecting on the incident, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said, “A little after 9 PM a vehicle stopped alongside a police car which was parked. Immediately a man got out and fired on the police vehicle, mortally wounding a police officer.”

The country has witnessed a series of Islamic militant attacks perpetrated mostly by young men, killing more than 230 people in the span of two years.

In the wake of the shooting, security concerns took centre stage in the last days of the country’s presidential race, which is expected to be a tightly contested election as the gap between four frontrunners continues to narrow. The two candidates who secure the maximum number of votes will then face off against each other in a run-off election on May 7.

With inputs from Reuters