Police in Paris have shot a man who attempted to attack an officer outside Notre-Dame cathedral.

Authorities, who are investigating the incident as a potential terror attack, asked members of the public to stay away from the area during ongoing operations.

The man attacked an officer with a hammer before one of his colleagues opened fire and “neutralised” him, officials said. A spokesperson for Paris’ prefecture of police said the officer was wounded and the assailant was taken to hospital, adding: “Situation under control.”

Hundreds tourists and passers-by were locked inside the famous cathedral as the operation continued.

They were gradually released after around an hour, following “routine” security checks.

Officers cordoned off a large part of the Île de la Cité as a precaution for searches for potential accomplices or suspect devices.

The counter-terrorism unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the incident.

source: independent.co.uk