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A knifeman reportedly screamed "Allahu Akbar" before stabbing one person to death in a random attack in central Paris.

Eight others were reportedly injured, two seriously, in the horrific incident before police shot the man dead in the French capital's Opera district tonight.

Officers raced to the scene and tried to disarm the attacker with a Taser - but they were reportedly forced to fire two shots when he failed to surrender, France24 reports.

Police Nationale confirmed the knifeman and one victim had died, and four others were injured - two seriously.

(Image: AFP) (Image: AFP) (Image: AFP) (Image: AFP)

However, according to BFM TV eight people were injured.

Police have not said whether the incident was terror-related.

A witness, only going by Fiona, claims the attacker was shouting “Allahu Akbar” and trying to get into restaurants.

Fiona was having dinner in Kintaro, in Rue Saint-Augustin when she thought she heard two men fighting.

(Image: AFP) (Image: uhitscarolEEna/Twitter)

She said: “People that were queuing outside ran into the restaurant screaming, so everyone panicked and threw themselves on the floor.”

Fiona said the same man came back with the knife minutes later and was “screaming Allahu akbar”.

“Some guys including my friend blocked the door in case he would try to enter,” she added.

“When we ran away they were still looking for the guy and one woman was laying down on the floor her neck was bleeding.”

(Image: uhitscarolEEna/Twitter)

A judicial source said authorities were looking into whether the anti-terrorism prosecutor's office should be handling the case.

French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb confirmed there had been an attack in Paris and said there were victims, without giving any details.

Moments after the attack footage emerged of a person laying in the street covered in blood as others flee down the road in terror.

A man dressed entirely in black is then seen running along a street just a few metres away - although it is not clear whether he was connected with that incident - or the knife attack.

(Image: Twitter) (Image: uhitscarolEEna/Twitter)

While police are yet to verify the footage, it has been confirmed that it was taken from a hotel on Rue Marsollier - which is directly connected to Rue Monsigny, where the knifeman reportedly carried out some of his attack.

The adjacent road, Rue Saint-Augustin and connecting Avenue de l'Opera were later pictured in lockdown.

Journalist Charles Pellegrin was at the scene and tweeted: "I came out of a comedy show near Opera in central Paris and was immediately told to go back in because there was a madman with a knife.

"Once back inside we heard sirens and 2 gun shots. I then spoke to eyewitnesses who told me a man stabbed multiple people at random.

"The eyewitnesses then told me police tried to Tazer the attacker. This did not work, so they fired two shots.

"Police have now set up a perimeter and say the situation is under control. Ambulances are rushing to the scene."

Paris has been under higher security in recent years after a string of deadly Islamic extremist attacks.