An unidentified person has taken hostages at a supermarket in southwestern France after earlier firing at police officers.
The situation is unfolding in the commune of Trebes, part of Aude Prefecture. A police operation is underway.
????[OPERATION POLICE]????
⚠️ Opération en cours secteur Super U Trèbes.
Secteur interdit ⚠️
Merci de faciliter l’accès aux forces de l’ordre.— Préfecture de l’Aude (@Prefet11) March 23, 2018
⚠️ Intervention de police en cours à #Trèbes dans l’#Aude. La priorité est à l’intervention des forces de police et de secours. Plus d’informations à venir sur ce compte, ne diffusez pas de rumeurs ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/M2t4mLccG0
— Ministère de l’Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) March 23, 2018
A gunman is believed to be holding several people hostage at a Super U in the commune of Trebes. The gunman reportedly entered the shop just before 11 am, according to the Daily Mail.
According to Metro, the gunman has shot dead two people, including at least one supermarket worker, and is holding 8 people hostage.
The man fired at a butcher working at the Super U supermarket in the town of Trèbes, after earlier shooting at police officers who were jogging, wounding one of them, in the town of Trèbes.
The suspect reportedly shouted “Vengeance for Syria!” as he fired at police…
Eric Menassi, the mayor of Trebes, confirmed that a supermarket worker was shot dead and a CRS officer “wounded in the shoulder”.
Shortly before the hostage situation began, an armed man shot and injured a police officer in the city of Carcassonne, about 15 minutes by car from Trebes. It isn’t yet clear whether the two incidents are related.
Police have surrounded the supermarket…
A source told local media: “A butcher in the U-Supermarket has been shot dead. The gunman was heard shouting slogans about the war in Syria. He says he is representing Islamic State.”
Police say the man, who appears to be in his 30s, was armed with grenades.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack – but police haven’t confirmed any details.
The attacker’s MO is reminiscent of the Hypercacher kosher supermarket attack in Paris, which unfolded two days after the Charlie Hebdo shooting. The attacker in that incident also pledged allegiance to ISIS.
Al menos un CRS @PoliceNationale ha sido herido en el incidente.
Se confirma que hay un tiroteo y hay rehenes en el supermercado. pic.twitter.com/bPxoj95hfq
— RO-1 (@Undercover_Camo) March 23, 2018
Police have surrounded the supermarket and are preparing an operation to deal with the situation…
Watch it live below:
