French police shoot armed attacker near Paris’ most visited tourist site

A police officer has been attacked with a hammer in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, according to a police source cited by media. Officers shot and injured the suspect.

Footage posted online showed police and an ambulance near the scene, and an officer standing with a gun in his hand.

Paris police have tweeted that an “intervention” is taking place in the square in front of the cathedral, and have asked people to avoid the area.

Police have confirmed the officer was injured in the attack, Reuters reported.

France’s counter-terrorism authorities have opened an investigation into the incident, according to the French prosecutor’s office.

Witnesses cited by The Telegraph said they saw a man lying on the ground at the scene.

A photo posted on Twitter showed cathedral guests raising their hands, reportedly at the instruction of police.

Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the most visited tourist sites in Paris, attracting an estimated 13.6 million visitors a year.

France has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when terrorist attacks left 130 people dead in Paris.