PARIS, France — Police fatally shoot a man armed with a knife and scissors after he lunges at an officer during a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe on Friday, authorities say.
The confrontation unfolds as officers guard the relighting of the eternal flame honoring France’s unknown soldiers at the landmark overlooking the Champs-Élysées. One officer fires at the suspect when he attempts to attack, preventing injuries to bystanders and other personnel.
The assailant, a French citizen born in 1978, later dies in hospital from gunshot wounds, according to the national counterterrorism prosecutor’s office. His identity is withheld pending further investigation.
Prosecutors open a probe on suspicion of attempted murder linked to a terrorist enterprise. Officials note that the man had a prior conviction in Belgium for terror-related offenses.
In 2013, a Brussels court sentences him to 17 years in prison for attempted killings tied to an extremist plot involving police officers in Molenbeek. He is later transferred to France in 2015 to serve the remainder of his sentence.
The man is released from prison on Dec. 24, 2025, and placed under judicial supervision and monitoring measures. Authorities are now examining the circumstances surrounding the latest attack.
Following the incident, security forces seal off access to the monument, while traffic continues to circulate around the busy roundabout. The nearby metro station temporarily shuts down at police request. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez voices support for the officer involved, commending his measured response in the face of a security threat.
