Police surround Toulouse flat in hunt for shooting suspect

A major police operation is underway in Toulouse as hundreds of officers surround an apartment in an eastern suburb of the city. It's understood one gunman remains in the building another man handed himself over to police in the early hours of the morning.

Surrounding streets have been blocked off and the sound of gunfire was heard after the siege began, shortly after 2am (GMT). From my vantage point I've seen one injured person being carried into an ambulance a short while ago, there were two more bangs. It's unclear at this stage whether there were gunshots or stun grenades.

The French elite anti-terror squad have been called to the scene and it's understood negotiations are ongoing. It's believed the suspect in this case may have had links to Al-Qaeda, it's thought he recently spent time in Afghanistan.

It's also thought that he was one of a number of suspects police identified after the first two killings in Toulouse, inevitably questions are now being asked as to why he wasn't picked up before three children and a teacher were murdered outside a Jewish school in the city on Monday.

Three police officers have been injured in this operation so far. Senior police officials have described it as, "tough going," and have warned that the siege may last for hours. The gunman has said he will surrender sometime this afternoon.

It's understood residents may be evacuated shortly, which would allow the police to close in.

At the moment passers-by appear shocked and bewildered that the mass murderer at the centre of this man-hunt may have been living on their doorstep.