2 killed, 4 wounded after a shooting in Paris

Paris, Dec 23: At least two people were killed, while four others were injured in a shooting incident in central Paris on Friday.

The shooting occurred in a Kurdish cultural center and a restaurant and hairdresser nearby, French television network BFM TV reported. The incident was confirmed by a senior at Paris City Hall.

A 69-year old man has been arrested in connection with the incident, added the prosecutor's office.

The reason for the shooting wasn't immediately clear. The Paris prosecutor's office opened a murder investigation and was working to confirm the identity of the suspect, as reported by news agency PTI.

Police cordoned off the area in the 10th arrondissement of the French capital, on a busy street with shops and restaurants near the Gare de l'Est train station. The shooting came at a time when Paris is bustling with activity before the Christmas weekend.

The Paris police department warned people to stay away from the area while emergency workers were at the scene.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, mayor for the 10th arrondissement, Alexandra Cordebard said the ''real motivation'' for the shooting remains unclear. As she spoke, a crowd nearby chanted, "Erdogan, terrorist'' - referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - and "Turkish state, assassin.'' The attacker was also wounded and is hospitalised, Cordebard said.

Two of the four people who were wounded are in critical condition, the prosecutor's office said.

Anti-terrorism prosecutors are in contact with investigators but haven't indicated any sign of a terrorist motive at this stage. France was hit by a string of deadly attacks by Islamic extremists in 2015-2016 and remains on alert for terrorism-related violence.