Man shot dead after attacking police near Arc de Triomphe in Paris

· Japan Today

PARIS — A man who tried to attack a police ‌officer with a knife near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Friday ‌was shot by police and ⁠later died of his ⁠injuries, France's ⁠anti-terrorism prosecution office said.

The police ‌officer was not harmed and no one ⁠else ⁠was wounded, it said.

The man had been released from prison in December after serving 12 years on ⁠terrorism charges, the ⁠office added.

The attack took place ‌near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where police officers were rekindling the flame, Paris police ‌said. The French anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said it was taking over the case shortly after the attack.

It did not name the suspect but said he was French, born ​in 1978, and had been convicted of terrorism charges for ‌attempted murder committed in Belgium and sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Following his release ‌in December after he had served ⁠12 years, ⁠he had been placed ​under police scrutiny with ⁠routine checks, ‌the prosecution office said.

© Thomson Reuters 2026.