| The Telegraph is live blogging events. The latest as of 1:16pm Greenwich Mean Time, two hours after the gunman burst into the supermarket: |
- Gunman takes hostages at supermarket in Trebes, France
- Police have the supermarket surrounded
- At least two people killed and a dozen more wounded
- Attacker reported to be Moroccan national in his 30s
- Gunman 'shouted Allahu Akbar' and 'said he supported Isil'
- is said to have demanded release of 2015 Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam
- Shortly before, police officer shot in nearby Carcassonne
- French Prime Minister: We believe this is a terrorist act
| Update at 9:50 a,m, EDT: |
Police have found a body in bushes in Carcassonne and another man there who suffered bullet wounds is being treated in hospital, local media reported.
The gunman is believed to have shot a motorist in the head - and also injured the passenger - before stealing the car to drive to the Trebes supermarket.
Bruno Bartocetti, the regional representative of the SGP police union, said the Carcassonne attacker is believed to the same person who has taken hostages in Trebes.
Local media report that the Trebes attacker is a Moroccan man who lived in Carcassonne.
Police confirmed at least two people - thought to be a shop worker and customer - have been killed and a dozen more injured. Around 50 people fled the supermarket, but a police chief warned the casualty toll is likely to rise, saying: "We are unfortunately expecting to find more victims."
Shortly beforehand, a police officer jogging with colleagues in the city of Carcassonne, around a 15-minute drive away, was shot and injured. The same gunman is believed to have then shot a driver in the head, before stealing their vehicle to drive to Trebes to carry out the attack.
The operation to capture the holed-up attacker was ongoing on Friday afternoon. He is believed to be alone with one police officer in the store.
The man "entered the Super U supermarket at around 11.15am and shots were heard," a French security source said. He is said to have been armed with a gun, knives and a hand grenade.
| Daily Mail has photos and adds: |
| Update at 11:35: |
Collomb named the attacker as Redouane Lakdim and said he was from nearby Carcassonne, where the attacks started.
"He was known for petty crimes. We had monitored him and thought there was no radicalisation," Collomb said.
| And The Daily News provides a useful timeline of events: |
Some time before 11am: Lakdim hijacks a car somewhere in his home town.
A passenger in the vehicle is shot in the head and killed while the driver is wounded before the terrorist drives away.
Approximately 11am: The attacker opens fire on four policemen jogging near the edge of town.
One officer is wounded after being hit in the shoulder. Bullets also strike a nearby car, shattering the back window. Lakdim escapes in the stolen vehicle.
Approximately 11.15am: Gunshots are reported at a Super U supermarket in the town of Trebes as Lakdim storms in, taking hostages.
Two people are later shot dead, though it is unclear precisely when or why.
French police initially say a dozen people are wounded, though uncertainty remained around the exact toll on Friday afternoon.
Some time before 2pm: A French policeman makes his way into the supermarket after agreeing to swap himself for a hostage.
He is later wounded, though it is not clear exactly how.
Approximately 2pm: French police storm the supermarket, shooting Lakdim dead.