At least one dead, 10 wounded in French Christmas market shooting

[brooklynite]

Source: Reuters

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - At least one person was killed and 10 people were wounded in a shooting near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, the local prefecture said.

Police locked down the area and launched a hunt for the shooter, who fled the scene, the police sources said. They said the gunman had been identified.

Local authorities told people in the city’s Neudorf area and Etoile park to stay where they were.

“There were gunshots and people running everywhere,” one local shopkeeper told BFM TV. “It lasted about 10 minutes.”



Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-shots/at-least-one-dead-10-wounded-in-french-christmas-market-shooting-idUSKBN1OA2A8

[oberliner]

1. Strasbourg shooting toll rises to two dead, 11 critically wounded, police say

From AFP twitter feed.

[Liberty Belle]

2. The violence in France is so disturbing. I'm going there next year,

my first trip to Europe, but the news stories lately, between riots and terrorism attacks, are concerning.

[GulfCoast66]

5. Don't let the headlines bother you.

I go there almost every year. Totally safe compared to America. You will have the time of your life.

The largest city near me(Orlando) had 50 killed at one time in 2016.

Then Vegas, Pittsburgh, California...you get the picture.

But be aware of pickpockets in crowded areas.

If you don’t mind me asking, where are you planning on visiting?

[Liberty Belle]

10. Paris, Champagne, and then a river cruise through Provence,

ending at Arles. We're going with a local winery that organized a group trip. After France, we're going on our own to Barcelona, Spain for a couple of days -- trip of a lifetime for us.

[GulfCoast66]

11. Wow! Color me Jealous!

It will be a trip of s lifetime. Your first time?

[Liberty Belle]

12. Yes, I've never been to Europe. I won a lawsuit,

over a landmark copyright infringement case in which I was the named plaintiff. Nationwide we won $18 million for freelqance writers across the United States. I just got a tiny piece of that, but tried to do some good with it.

I used some of the money to start a nonprofit supporting local independent journalism in our community, used most of the rest on some overdue and emergency home repairs, stashed a little bit away for retirement, and then the trip. I probably wound't have spent the money on the vacation if I'd know about the emergency home repairs (sewer pipe burst and so we also had to repave a long driveway, drawing out some that we'd intended to use for retirement) but we'd already paid for the trip, so we're going to go and hopefully have the time of our lives.

We're going with friends who own a local winery. They've been organizing wine tours for years, but this is the first and probably only time we could afford to go.

I will probably try to sell a travel story or two in order to write off part of the costs on our taxes; I do cover our local wine industry so not too far of a stretch, and makes me feel a little less guilty for spending so much on a vacation.

[GulfCoast66]

13. I got to warn you of a real threat...

Once you go, you will have to go back!

I was raised in a place and time where only rich people traveled to Europe. But then work sent me to Italy for 6 weeks and I realized 2 things:

A southern, middle class man like me can do this and do it well.

I have to go back!

So now I have been learning French for 6 years and my next trip over will be my 10th trip to Europe.

Have a great time. I am sure you will!

And when you get back go online and learn how to travel to Europe in an inexpensive manner. It is possible.

[Eugene]

3. New Reuters headline at link: Gunman kills at least four people in French Christmas market

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS DECEMBER 11, 2018 / 2:42 PM / UPDATED 44 MINUTES AGO

Gunman kills at least four people in French Christmas market

Foo Yun Chee, Gilbert Reilhac
4 MIN READ

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - A gunman killed at least four people and wounded 11 others near a Christmas market in the French border city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening before being cornered by police.

The motive was not immediately clear but, with France still on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015, the counter-terrorism prosecutor opened an investigation.

Some two hours after the attack, elite police cornered the suspect and shots were fired, a source close to the operation said. French media reported the assailant was holed up in a store on the Rue Epinal.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-shots/at-least-one-dead-10-wounded-in-french-christmas-market-shooting-idUSKBN1OA2A8

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I would hate to see Europe's Christmas markets shut down. They are so

beautiful and fun.

[uppityperson]

6. That's a real shame. After visiting Strasbourg inn the summer, I wanted to visit during this

Christmas festival time as it would be magical.

[nitpicker]

7. Three dead per DW

https://www.dw.com/en/deadly-shooting-in-french-city-of-strasbourg/a-46690335

[Eugene]

8. France: Suspected gunman named, had long police record

Source: Associated Press

France: Suspected gunman named, had long police record

By LORI HINNANT, SYLVIE CORBET and JOHN LEICESTER
December 12, 2018

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Hundreds of police and soldiers hunted Wednesday for a suspected extremist who sprayed gunfire near one of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets, killing three and wounding at least 13 in the eastern city of Strasbourg and putting the whole country on edge anew.

Police union officials identified the suspected assailant as Cherif Chekatt, a 29-year-old with a thick police record for crimes including armed robbery. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss details of the large and ongoing investigation.

Senior Interior Ministry official Laurent Nunez said the man had been radicalized in prison and had been monitored by French intelligence services since his release from jail in late 2015, because of his suspected religious extremism.

Nunez, secretary of state for the Interior Ministry, said on France-Inter radio that police sought to arrest the man on Tuesday morning, hours before the shooting, in relation to an attempted murder. He was not at home but five other people were detained, authorities said.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/ff978487adfc4f33886ec6e466b482fe

[Eugene]

9. Strasbourg shooting attack identified as act of terrorism

Source: Radio France Internationale

Strasbourg shooting attack identified as act of terrorism

By RFI Issued on 12-12-2018 Modified 12-12-2018 to 13:53

The suspect in the deadly shooting at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday night cried out “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, said Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz, who added that it is being investigated as a terrorist incident.

“Considering the target, his way of operating, his profile and the testimonies of those who heard him yell ‘Allahu Akbar’, the anti-terrorist police has been called into action,” Heitz told reporters on Wednesday.

The French government has raised the security alert level for terrorism to its highest, reinforcing border controls and patrols around all Christmas markets across France.

Police have identified the suspect as Strasbourg-born Cherif Chekatt, 29, who is on an intelligence services watch list as a potential security risk.

-snip-

Read more: http://en.rfi.fr/france/20181212-strasbourg-shooting-attack-identified-act-terrorism