Strasbourg shooting: Terror suspect on the run after killing three and injuring 11 at Christmas market – latest news
From the Telegraph
A suspected terrorist is on the run after killing at least three people and injuring 11 more in the eastern French city of Strasbourg near its Christmas market.
Around 350 people, including police, troops and helicopters were on the heels of the attacker who had “sowed terror” in the city, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said.
French authorities are treating the shooting as a terrorist act after identifying the gunman, named Cherif C, as a radicalised 29-year old from the city on a “S” security and terror watch list. Anti-terrorist prosecutors have opened an investigation.
Questions were being raised over how the assailant had managed to evade capture on Tuesday morning. Police were due to arrest him over a botched armed robbery but he had escaped and grenades were found at his home. He was being investigated over an attempted murder, a source told AFP.
Hours later, shortly before 8pm, the assailant went on the rampage in Strasbourg’s city centre in the bustling rue des Ofrèvres armed with an automatic pistol and knife.
Police reported the attacker was shot and wounded by patrolling soliders before he fled the scene. According to France Info, the wounded suspect took a taxi driver hostage to escape soldiers. The driver reportedly escaped unharmed.
“How many terror attacks by those on “S” watchlist do we have to suffer before adapting our law to the fight against terrorism. What are we waiting for to finally wage war to eradicate Islamic fundamentalism that has declared war on us?”, asked Laurent Wauquiez, the Right-wing Republicans party leader.
Far-Right leader Marine Le Pen said: “A radical change must happen as terrorism policy is clearly failing.”