The security situation in
France grew significantly more complicated Friday morning, following
reports the elusive gunmen who allegedly killed at least 12 at a French newspaper on Wednesday had been surrounded near a school in a town to the north of Paris.
Police had been pursuing brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi since they escaped from the scene of the shooting early Wednesday in a black car. They told police Friday they wish to die as martyrs, according to officials at the site of the standoff. They reportedly have at least one hostage, and are surrounded by two rings of hundreds of French special operations forces.
Meanwhile, reports emerged early Friday that another gunman holed himself up in a kosher store in east Paris with several hostages. Officials believe he is connected to the Charlie Hebdo shooting; he reportedly has refused to release his hostages unless the two other gunmen are freed.
It remains unclear whether these incidents are related to the two suspects who reportedly shot and killed a policewoman in south Paris on Thursday. French news agency AFP revealed the identities of Hayat Boumeddiene and Amedy Coulibaly on Friday, and reports one may be involved in the second hostage situation in east Paris on Friday.
And in another developing event, Paris police reportedly evacuated the Trocadero subway station adjacent to the Eiffel Tower, with armed officers responding.
Police had been pursuing brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi since they escaped from the scene of the shooting early Wednesday in a black car. They told police Friday they wish to die as martyrs, according to officials at the site of the standoff. They reportedly have at least one hostage, and are surrounded by two rings of hundreds of French special operations forces.
Meanwhile, reports emerged early Friday that another gunman holed himself up in a kosher store in east Paris with several hostages. Officials believe he is connected to the Charlie Hebdo shooting; he reportedly has refused to release his hostages unless the two other gunmen are freed.
It remains unclear whether these incidents are related to the two suspects who reportedly shot and killed a policewoman in south Paris on Thursday. French news agency AFP revealed the identities of Hayat Boumeddiene and Amedy Coulibaly on Friday, and reports one may be involved in the second hostage situation in east Paris on Friday.
And in another developing event, Paris police reportedly evacuated the Trocadero subway station adjacent to the Eiffel Tower, with armed officers responding.
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