Police open fire on car in Paris, killing 2 people

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

PARIS (AA) – Police in Paris opened fire early Monday on a car that attempted to hit them, killing two of its occupants, according to police sources.

The car reportedly drove toward police on duty on the Pont Neuf bridge near the famous Louvre Museum in central Paris. Police opened fire on the vehicle when the driver ignored calls to stop.

The driver and a passenger sitting in the front seat were killed. A passenger sitting in the back was wounded.

The car was parked in the wrong direction along the Vert-Galant square on the Pont-Neuf. Police approached the vehicle to control its occupants by pointing automatic weapons at them, said an eyewitness quoted by Le Figaro newspaper.

“The driver rushed off towards the police at full speed,” said the witness.

Strict security measures were in place Sunday in Paris due to the second round of the presidential election, which saw Emmanuel Macron winning a second term in office.

Riot police were also deployed at various points in the city due to small-scale protests related to the election results.

An investigation has been launched into the incident, according to local reports.