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Paris police shooting gunman named by authorities

The gunman who shot dead a police officer and seriously injured two others on the Champs-Élysées in Paris has been named as Karim Cheurfi.

Officials said he was known to police and was detained in February, but was later released due to a lack of evidence.

Here is what we know:

  • A man believed to be the principal attacker was shot dead at the scene after opening fire on police
  • The slain officer has been identified as Xavier Jugele
  • A second man wanted in connection to the attack has reportedly handed himself in
  • Eyewitnesses said an attacker opened fire with a Kalashnikov gun
  • The counter-terrorism unit in Paris has launched an investigation
  • So-called Islamic State said it was behind the shooting
  • Police raids have been carried out in a suburb east of Paris which is believed to be linked to the attack
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Paris gunman 'detained in February for threatening police'

Police at the scene of the shootings on Thursday. Credit: AP

Two French officials have said that the Champs-Elysees gunman was detained in February for threatening police.

The officials - who spoke on the condition of anonymity - said the gunman was detained at the end of the month after speaking threateningly about the police, but later released due to a lack of evidence.

They also reported he was convicted of attempted homicide in 2003 in shootings on two police officers.

A man believed to be the principal attacker was shot dead at the scene, after a police officer was killed and two others seriously wounded.

A second man wanted in connection to the attack is reported to have handed himself into police.

The attack comes just days before France's presidential elections.

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