Notre-Dame Cathedral Shooting: Full Story & Must-See Details

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Police in Paris are responding to an incident at Notre-Dame Cathedral on Tuesday where an individual reportedly attacked an officer with a hammer, officials said.

Paris police said a “number of police” are at the square in front of the cathedral. They urged people to avoid the area.

What Happened?

Police have confirmed that a man has been shot after he attempted to attack a police officer with a hammer.  The officer defended himself from the attacker, firing two shots. The suspected attacker is reportedly injured but alive.

Tourists have been locked inside the famous site as the investigation continues.

A significant number of police cars have responded to the scene on the Ile de Cite island in the River Seine in the center of Paris.

Anti-terrorist prosecutors have opened a probe as a result of the incident and the attack is being treated as a terrorist incident.

The incident comes months after a man shouting “Allahu akbar” was shot as he tried to kill a French soldier with a machete outside Le Louvre.

France remains in a state of emergency from the Charlie Hebdo massacre Paris attacks, Nice attack and a series of murders carried out by ISIS supporters. Since 2015, terror attacks in France have killed more than 230 people.

The Islamic State also claimed responsibility for the London Bridge attack on Saturday night that killed seven and wounded 48.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, and it is among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. The naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture.

Construction on the Cathedral began in 1163 and was not completed until 1345.