A series of shootings and explosions have rocked Paris in at least three separate attacks, with more than 150 dead, according to police and news reports. French president François Hollande declared a state of emergency after the “unprecedented” attacks, calling in the army as the country temporarily sealed its borders.
French authorities said all of the attackers were dead, but were looking for accomplices. Eight terrorists were involved in the attacks, and seven of those killed themselves with explosive devices, authorities said.
Here are where the attacks took place:
Le Bataclan
The deadliest of the attacks took place at the music hall Le Bataclan, in the 11th arrondissement, where an American band, Eagles of Death Metal, were playing a concert.
After reports of many people being taken hostage, and of the attackers beginning to fire on the concert goers, French police stormed the building, killing two attackers.
Reports suggest a horrendous death toll of more than 100 people at the venue, according to AFP, citing anonymous police sources.
Here’s a shot of the concert before the attack took place:
Julien Pearce, a journalist with Europe 1 who was in the concert hall during the attack, had this account (translated from French):
I was inside the concert hall when many armed individuals entered in the middle of the concert. Two or three people without masks arrived with automatic weapons, Kalashnikov style, and started to fire blindly into the crowd. … It was extremely violent and there was a wave of panic—everybody ran from the scene, there were moments of trampling, I myself was trampled. … The assailants had to often reload, at least three times. They were not masked. They were very young. They did not say a word, as far as I could tell.
A 23-year old Turkish woman who was at the concert told Libération (translated by Slate):
I was in the pit, when suddenly I heard noises, like fireworks. At the time I thought it was part of the show, then I turned around and I saw a person who had just taken a bullet in the eye. She grabbed her head and collapsed. Then, everyone got on the ground, we were hearing shots. The shooters were shooting at random at people who were lying down, everyone was playing dead but it didn’t make any difference for them. I was lying in the fetal position but my feet were blocked by someone’s body. I managed to slide my feet out of my shoes and I ran backstage, because an exit was just nearby, with three other people, who were injured.
Le Petit Cambodge
In another attack, several gunmen reportedly opened fire at Le Petit Cambodge, a beloved Cambodian restaurant in rue Bichat, part of the the trendy Canal Saint Martin neighborhood. Eleven people were killed, the AP reported, citing a police official.
Vincent Berthézène, a reporter for France 24, was on the scene:
Liberation (link in French) reported that patrons of a nearby bar, Le Carrillon, were also injured in the shooting.
Stade de France
At least one explosion took place near the Stade de France, where the French and German national soccer teams were playing. Police subsequently confirmed that the explosion took place in a bar near the stadium.
At least three people were killed, according the AP.
Reports say president Hollande was attending the match and was subsequently moved to safety.
The explosion is audible in this Vine:
Mashable reported that as match attendees left the stadium, they sang the French national anthem.
France’s response
France’s state of emergency—the first time such an act has been imposed country-wide, according to Le Monde (link in French)—will “allow the house arrest of any person whose activity is dangerous, the temporary closure of theaters and meeting places, the confiscation of weapons, and the ability to carry out administrative searches,” thecabinet said in a release.
The president also cancelled a trip to Turkey on Nov. 15 for the G20 summit, and sent 1,500 troops to Paris.
The world reacts
US president Barack Obama held a brief press conference, where he called the events an attack “not just on Paris, not just on the people of France” but “on all of humanity and the universal values we share.” He said he had not yet spoken to Hollande but would soon, and that the two had spoken earlier in the day about preparations for the G20 meeting scheduled for this weekend in Turkey.
“We’re going to do whatever it takes to work with the French people and with nations around the world to bring these terrorists to justice and to go after any terrorist networks that go after [our people],” Obama said.
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