A gunman has taken several people hostage and shot a policeman at a supermarket in the south of France
Two people are dead, with around a dozen injured, and France’s elite police RAID police unit has been despatched.
The gunman has claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group and police are treating it as a terror incident.
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said the situation was “serious.”
The suspect was reportedly heard shouting “Vengeance for Syria!” before starting the rampage in Trebes, close to Carcassonne, in the Aube department.
French police have said two people have been killed at the supermarket.
Police have now surrounded a branch of Super U in the town after shooting began shortly after 11am.
A policeman has been injured in a second shooting which is believed to be related, AFP has reported. Policemen were out jogging in Carcassonne, a 15 minute drive away, when five shots were fired and one officer was wounded in the shoulder.
An unidentified man entered the supermarket and shots were then heard in the area.
A source in the town said: “A butcher in the U-Supermarket has been shot dead.
“The gunman was heard shouting slogans about the war in Syria. He says he is representing Islamic State.”
“Vengeance for Syria” was also heard by CRS riot police officers who were out jogging when they were attacked by the man.
Hundreds of police have been deployed to the area and a cordon has been established.
