Investigation underway after man is killed at Paris airport when he tried to grab soldier's rifle

iStock/Thinkstock(PARIS) — France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor has opened an investigation after a man who tried to grab an assault weapon from a soldier at Orly Airport in Paris was shot dead, an official at the prosecutor’s office told ABC News.

Investigators are now searching for “clues, stories, and images” pertaining to the suspect and incident, France’s interior minister said.

The brother and father of the suspect are being questioned, but have not been detained.

The suspect, whom authorities have not identified, was not on the government’s list of people considered a threat to national security, the prosecutor’s office told ABC News.

The airport was partially shut down and evacuated following the incident early Saturday morning. Later Saturday, the airport’s operations were gradually resuming, although one of its terminals remained closed.

France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor has Paris’ Orly Airport was partially evacuated Saturday morning after a man was fatally shot by French security forces after he tried to seize a rifle from a soldier guarding the airport, France’s Ministry of the Interior has confirmed.

“This morning at 8:30 at Orly Airport, an individual tried to attack French soldiers in order to take the weapon of one of the soldiers — he was not able to do it and was shot and killed by soldiers,” Minister of the Interior Bruno Le Roux said early Saturday.

France’s Minister of Defense, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said, the suspect attacked three soldiers patrolling the airport. He tried to take the weapon of one of the soldiers, a woman.

“She was able to hold to her weapon. Two other soldiers shot at [the] individual to protect her. I congratulate them,” Le Drian said.

 

[#Orly]Opération de Police toujours en cours. Aucune victime à déplorer.Police fortement mobilisée. pic.twitter.com/LlQLDKE2WQ

— Police Nationale (@PoliceNationale) March 18, 2017

 

Le Roux said the assailant was involved in a carjacking earlier in the day and had also shot at a police officer at a traffic stop.

“We can also link his identity to a police check that occurred this morning at 6:50 in the northern suburbs of Paris. During this police check, the individual shot with a gun at a police officer who was slightly injured,” Le Roux said.

 

[#Sentinelle] Nos félicitations aux aviateurs d’active et de réserve et à l’aviatrice, engagés à #Orly ce matin. https://t.co/Nc3Z5tmx7P pic.twitter.com/D0XFfapuuz

— Armée de l’air (@Armee_de_lair) March 18, 2017

 

After the shooting incident at Orly Airport, about 3,000 people were evacuated.

Air traffic at the airport’s two commercial passenger terminals was suspended, and flights were diverted to Paris’ other international airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport.

 

#Orly #airport Air traffic suspended for Orly South & West terminal. Do not come to the airport. Ongoing Police operation #en

— Paris Aéroport (@ParisAeroport) March 18, 2017

 

 

Evacuation de l’aéroport

A post shared by Jordan Herry (@joxcorp) on Mar 18, 2017 at 1:53am PDT

 

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