The 69-year-old suspect was arrested and the firearm that was allegedly used in the attack was found by law enforcement.
A lone gunman went on a rampage in central Paris shortly before midday local time today, killing three and injuring four before being apprehended by police.
According to emergency services officials, two of the injured in the attack are in critical condition.
Witnesses to the attack report that the gunman fired a total of seven or eight shots, sowing chaos in the streets.
According to local news sources, the attack happened near a local Kurdish cultural center in the 10th arrondissement. The neighborhood is also home to many shops, restaurants and bars.
The reports have been confirmed by the mayor of the 10th arrondissement of Paris, Alexandra Cordebard.
Local police said a 69-year-old suspect has been arrested and the firearm allegedly used in the attack has been recovered by law enforcement officers.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office said the attacker’s motives are unclear at the moment and that a homicide investigation has been launched.
According to some reports, citing police sources, the suspect has a long criminal record dating back to 2016, where he was most recently arrested last December when he reportedly attacked a migrant camp in Paris with a sword.
The suspect was held in custody after the attack on the migrant camp on charges of attempted murder, but was eventually released from custody on December 12.
Following the attack, members of Paris’ Kurdish community gathered outside the cultural center where today’s attack took place, angrily protesting the shooting. The police had to use tear gas to disperse the protesting crowd.
Speaking at the scene of the shooting, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said it was “not certain … that the gunman was specifically targeting the Kurdish community” but rather was looking to attack any “foreigners in general “.
