French soldiers have shot a man dead who reportedly attempted to snatch a weapon from one of their ranks at Paris Orly Airport, Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux told reporters.
READ MORE: Man shot dead after trying to steal weapon from soldier at Paris Orly Airport
France 24 are reporting that the man was a 39-year-old French citizen, 1.8 meters tall (5’ 11”) and of average build. He was wearing dark grey pants and a white top.
The man’s name has not been released, but Le Roux said he is also suspected of shooting and injuring a police officer in another part of Paris earlier on Saturday morning.
The suspect had been pulled over for an identification check when he opened fire on police, the minister said, as cited by Reuters.
Le Roux also said the man is suspected of stealing a woman’s car at gunpoint after shooting the officer.
[#Orly] Contrôle qui a mal tourné : l’individu a ouvert le feu sur un policier avec un pistolet à grenailles.
— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) March 18, 2017
Je salue le courage et l’efficacité des policiers et militaires face aux agressions commises par un individu particulièrement dangereux.
— François Hollande (@fhollande) March 18, 2017
[#Orly]Plus de 450 policiers du RAID, de la PAF, de la PJ, des CRS et de la SP engagés dans le dispositif d’enquête et de sécurisation.
— Police Nationale (@PoliceNationale) March 18, 2017
A police source told the news agency that the man was on a police watch list for radical Islamic activity.
“This same man – a radicalized Muslim known to intelligence services and the justice system – then took a Famas (assault weapon) from a soldier at Orly’s southern terminal… before being shot dead by a soldier,” the source said.
The Paris prosecutor’s office told France 24 that the assailant had been known to police for robbery and drug offenses. The news outlet also noted that he had “nine unspecified infractions” on his criminal record.
A judicial source told Reuters that the man’s father and brother have been taken into police custody. The source added that this is routine in such incidents.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for France’s Interior Ministry said terrorism is a “possible” motive and the anti-terrorism prosecutor has already launched an investigation into the incident at Orly.
.@PHBrandet L’individu était connu des services de police et de justice. Il y a donc “possiblement” une motivation terroriste à cet acte.
— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) March 18, 2017
WATCH: LIVE outside Paris Orly airport after police shoot man attempting to seize firearm
Flights were suspended at Paris Orly Airport, as security operations were being conducted. The airport’s West terminal has reopened and is phasing traffic back to normal levels, but the South terminal, where the incident took place, remains closed.
#Orly#airport AirTraffic progressively reopening at West Terminal. South terminal shut down. Commuting allowed on T7, #RERB & Orlyval #en
— Paris Aéroport (@ParisAeroport) March 18, 2017
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the attacker had targeted a patrol of three air force soldiers and wrestled a female soldier to the ground before trying to take her weapon, the AP reports.
Benoit Brulon, a spokesperson for France’s anti-terror patrol force, said: “It was then that her comrades opened fire to protect her and people around.”
[#Orly] @JY_LeDrian : Les 2 autres aviateurs de la patrouille ont ouvert le feu pour protéger leur camarade & protéger le public à proximité
— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) March 18, 2017
Some witnesses report seeing the man, who is believed to have been acting alone, briefly holding the soldier hostage before being shot.
“He was holding the woman by her neck with the police officer’s gun in his hand. We understood the seriousness of the situation and fled. Later we heard several shots,” a witness told RT outside the airport.
A French Army representative told reporters that the female soldier who was attacked at Orly was “doing fine” after the “extremely violent” incident.
