Two Reported Dead In Paris Gun Attack

Two people have been reported killed and four wounded after a shooting near a Kurdish cultural center in Paris, according to reports. Two of those wounded in the shooting are said to be in a critical condition and two others were seriously injured.

According to AP, a 69-year-old suspect was wounded and arrested after opening fire in the area, having been detained and had their weapon taken without resistance. Reports suggested the suspect is a French national who is known to police for two attempted killings.

The attack took place in the Strasbourg-Saint Denis area near a Kurdish cultural center by Gare de l’Est station earlier today. Speaking to reporters at the scene, AP reported local mayor Alexandra Cordebard saying the “real motivation″ for the shooting remains unclear.

One witness told AFP that there was “total panic” and they had locked themselves in their shop.

The witness said she had heard seven or eight bursts of gunfire before fleeing.

The incident brings back terrible memories of the Paris terror attacks that took place more than seven years ago. In mid-November 2015, 130 people were killed following a series of co-ordinated attacks outside the Stade de France, in crowded cafes and restaurants and during an Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan theater. The latter led to the deaths of 90 people and a standoff between police and attackers.