Hammer attack on police officer near Notre Dame: Attacker shouted "This is for Syria"

Today, France launched an anti-terrorist investigation into the attack on a police officer near the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the attacker shouted "This is for Syria".

Colomb also said that the identity documents of the attacker stated that he was a student from Algeria.

According to reports, the incident occurred when an unknown man attacked a police officer in front of the cathedral with a hammer, after which the police officers responded by shooting and wounding the assailant in the chest, reports Reuters.

Police in Paris, as previously stated, "shot and wounded an attacker armed with a hammer" in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral and a warning was issued to citizens not to approach that part of the city, Reuters reported.

Police also said the man who was killed threatened the officer with a hammer and refused to stop.

As the B92 reporter reports, a part of Paris is closed, and police intervention is underway.

One police officer was injured, police officials confirmed, according to Reuters.

Visitors to Notre Dame posted on social media that they were "trapped" inside the building but that "everyone is fine."

Gallery