A man employed at police headquarters in central Paris stabbed four officers to death Thursday before being shot dead by police, sources told AFP.
The premises were cordoned off after the lunchtime attack in the historic centre of Paris, usually thronged with tourists, and a dozen emergency vehicles were at the scene, AFP journalists reported.
At least one metro station in the vicinity of the building, which is close to Notre-Dame cathedral and other major tourist attractions, was closed.
Sources said the attacker was shot dead by police in the courtyard of the building, where he was employed.
It was not immediately clear what his work role was.
An emergency message was broadcast over loudspeakers at the court of justice next door, announcing "an attack" at the police headquarters and stating the area was "under surveillance".
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who was due to visit Turkey later Thursday, has postponed his trip to visit the scene of the attack.
There was no immediate indication of the possible motives of the attacker.
France has since 2015 been rocked by a succession of attacks blamed on islamist extremists which have seen both large synchronized assaults and also isolated knife attacks, claiming some 245 victims.
The country remains on high alert after these attacks.
Agencies
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