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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 killer 'was a loner with few interests'

Karim Cheurfi's former lawyer said the killer was 'extremely isolated'. Credit: AP

The Paris gunman Karim Cheurfi was a loner with few interests in life, his former lawyer has said.

Jean-Laurent Panier described Cheurfi as an "extremely isolated" individual who passed near unnoticed while in detention in comments to BFM-TV.

Despite reports that the gunman may have been inspired by radical Islamist terrorists, Mr Panier said his client never discussed religion.

"His only conversations were about how to fill his daily life with video games," he said.

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