Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen called for France to instantly reinstate border checks and expel foreigners who are on the watch lists of intelligence services on Friday, in the wake of the Paris terror attack.

It came as questions were raised as anger rose about how the suspected Champs-Elysées gunman, Karim Cheurfi, came to be released after being questioned in February over threats to kill police officers.

The Front National leader was not the only one to issue stern pledges on the final day of campaigning ahead of Sunday's closely-fought first round vote, in which she and centrist Emmanuel Macron are polling as frontrunners.

François Fillon, the conservative candidate who also has a tough discourse on security, said the fight against "Islamist totalitarianism" should be the priority of France's next president.

The gunman who shot dead a policeman on the Champs Elysees in Paris in an apparent Isil-inspired terror attack before being killed was named as French national Karim Cheurfi.

Karim Cheurfi had been detained in February after reports that he had threatened police

Authorities earlier revealed Cheurfi - who was jailed for 20 years for trying to kill officers in 2001 - had been under preliminary investigation for terrorism and was detained two months ago but “let go”.

His victim has been identified as Xavier Jugele by Flag!, a French association of LGBT police officers.

French police officer Xavier Jugele credit: FLAG via AP

The group's president, Mickael Bucheron, told The Associated Press the slain officer would have celebrated his 38th birthday at the beginning of May.

Jugele was among the officers who responded to the gun and bomb attack on Paris' Bataclan concert hall in November 2015, part of a wave of assaults in the French capital that killed 130 people, he told People.com when the venue reopened a year later with a concert by Sting.

People quoted him as saying how happy he was to be at the "symbolic" reopening, "here to defend our civic values."

"This concert's to celebrate life. To say 'No' to terrorists," it quoted Jugele as saying.

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The attack raised questions over how yet another Islamist extremist known to police was able to bring terror to the heart of the French capital.

It is believed he parked his Audi and opened fire after police stopped at a red light. It is reported a pump action shotgun, knives and ID were found in the car.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) claimed responsibility and identified the attacker as one of its soldiers, naming him as Abu Yousif, a Belgian.

French presidential election candidate for the far-right Front National (FN) party Marine Le Pen credit: LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images

Cheurfi had been detained in February for questioning in a police station in Meaux, outside Paris, after “informants” had indicated that he was “seeking to obtain weapons to kill policemen”, according to reports.

But due to a lack of evidence, anti-terror prosecutors “let him go”.

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Cheurfi was known by intelligence services for radicalisation and had targeted police 16 years ago in a car chase, when he opened fire on officers, according to reports.

During questioning, he managed to get hold of a police weapon and fire five times. The policeman survived, but Cheurfi was sentenced to several years in prison for the attack.

Today officers raided his home in an eastern suburb of Paris and detained three members of his family.

French police arrive at the house of the gunman killed in a shootout with police on the Champs Elysees Avenue, in the Paris suburb of Chelles credit: REUTERS/Charles Platiau

This morning the presidential candidates Marine Le Pen, Francois Fillon and Philippe Poutou all seized on Thursday night's killing.

Le Pen, widely seen as taking the hardest line on security, called for France to "immediately" take back control of its own borders from the European Union and deport all foreigners on a terror watchlist.

"This war against us is ceaseless and merciless," she said in a sternly worded address, blasting the "monstrous totalitarian ideology" behind Thursday night's attack.

Members of the Muslim community lay flowers following the shooting of a police officer being shot yesterday on the Champs Elysees credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Macron, a 39-year-old moderate whom other candidates have portrayed as too inexperienced to protect France against the terror threat, warned against any attempts to use the attack for political gain.

"I think we must one and all have a spirit of responsibility at this extreme time and not give in to panic and not allow it to be exploited, which some might try to do," he told French radio.

The shooting came just three days before the first round of the country’s presidential election.

Security will be heightened across the country in the run-up to Sunday’s election.

Forensic experts and police officers examine evidence from a police van on the Champs Elysees credit: AP

It was highly unusual for Isil to both take responsibility and name the perpetrator so soon after an attack. The man’s gun, thought to have been a Kalashnikov, was described as a “war weapon”.

François Hollande scheduled an emergency meeting following the attack, which came after two men were arrested earlier this week in Marseille who were thought to be in the final stages of preparing “several” attacks.

The French president said police were convinced that the attack was “terrorist in nature”. “A national tribute will be paid to this policeman who was killed in such a cowardly way,” he said.

Forensic experts collect evidences from the car belonging to an attacker who killed a police officer on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris credit: AP

The UK Foreign Office said: "The British embassy is in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of a shooting incident on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

"You should remain vigilant and follow the advice of the local security authorities and/or your tour operator.

"If you're in the area and it is safe to do so, contact your friends and family to tell them you are safe."

A French soldier stands guard during ongoing police operations credit: EPA

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The UK strongly condemns the appalling terrorist attack in Paris. The Prime Minister has tonight passed on her condolences to President Hollande."

Donald Trump, the US president, said: “Our condolences from the people of the United States to the people of Paris. It looks like another terrorist attack. What can you say? It never ends.”

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03:15PM Police officer killed in attack is named

Police officer killed in attack is named

The policeman killed on Paris' most famous boulevard has been identified as Xavier Jugele by Flag!, a French association of LGBT police officers.

The group's president, Mickael Bucheron, told The Associated Press the slain officer would have celebrated his 38th birthday at the beginning of May.

The policeman killed on Paris' most famous boulevard was identified as Xavier Jugele credit: FLAG via AP

Jugele was among the officers who responded to the gun and bomb attack on Paris' Bataclan concert hall in November 2015, part of a wave of assaults in the French capital that killed 130 people, he told People.com when the venue reopened a year later with a concert by Sting.

People quoted him as saying how happy he was to be at the "symbolic" reopening, "here to defend our civic values."

"This concert's to celebrate life. To say 'No' to terrorists," it quoted Jugele as saying.

02:00PM Summary at 2pm

Summary at 2pm

The man who shot dead a French policeman in an Islamist militant attack had served time for armed assaults on law enforcement officers, police sources said on Friday.

The gunman, identified as Karim Cheurfi, opened fire on a police vehicle parked on the Champs Elysees in Paris late on Thursday, killing one officer and injuring two others before being shot dead.

The attack overshadowed the last day of campaigning for Sunday's presidential election first round, bringing raw issues surrounding Islamist militancy to the fore.

French President Francois Hollande (C) speaks with ministers and officials at the end of a defence council at the Elysee Palace credit: REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Cheurfi, a French national who lived in the eastern Paris suburb of Chelles, had been convicted for previous armed assaults on law enforcement officers going back 16 years, the sources said, and was well known to authorities.

In addition to the assault rifle used in the attack, he had a pump action shotgun and knives in his car, the sources said. Three of his family members have been placed in detention, the French interior ministry announced on Friday.

While in detention, Cheurfi had also shot and wounded a prison officer after seizing his gun. Eventually freed after serving most of his sentence, he was arrested again this year on suspicion of preparing an attack on police - but released for lack of evidence.

A French interior ministry spokesman confirmed on Friday that a manhunt was underway for a second individual, based on information from Belgian security services.

"It's too early to say how or whether he was connected to what happened on the Champs Elysees," ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said. "There are a certain number of leads to check. We are not ruling anything out."

A potential second suspect was identified as Youssouf El Osri in a document seen by Reuters. Belgian security officials had warned French counterparts before the attack that El Osri was a "very dangerous individual en route to France" aboard the Thalys high-speed train.

The warning was circulated more widely among French security services in the hour following the Champs Elysees attack.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Champs Elysees shooting hours after the attack, in a statement identifying the attacker as "Abu Yousif the Belgian."

El Osri's connection with either Cheurfi or the man named in Islamic State's statement remained unclear on Friday.

Coming just days after police said they had foiled another planned Islamist attack, arresting two men in the southern city of Marseille, the Champs Elysees shooting dominated the final day of election campaigning.

Conservative candidate Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, both talked up their tough law-and-order stances while centrist front-runner Emmanuel Macron stressed he was also up to the challenge.

01:34PM Note defending Islamic State found at scene

Note defending Islamic State found at scene

Reuters report that investigators found a written note defending Islamic State next to the body of the gunman who shot dead a policeman in Paris on Thursday, aaccording to a judicial source.

The hardline militant group claimed the attack, which also wounded two other police officers.

12:20PM Cazeneuve launches extraordinary attack on Le Pen

Cazeneuve launches extraordinary attack on Le Pen

"The Front National candidate, just like every attack seeks to divide and manipulate. She is shameless trying to exploit fear and emotion to exclusively political ends," Mr Cazeneuve, the Socialist prime minister, has just said.

"Nothing, no element of the inquiry, no intelligence enables us to make any link whatsoever between immigration and asylum and what happened last night in Paris.

"For all of the French this attack is a tragedy. Ms Le Pen is seeking to turn it into an opportunity - a mediocre electoral opportunity that flouts the truth."

12:18PM Trump: attack could affect election

Trump: attack could affect election

The US president has woken up, tweeting that the shooting could swing the upcoming French election.

12:07PM Islamic State note found near

Islamic State note found near

According to a source close to the investigation a note praising Isil has been found near the Champs Elysee shooter.

Josie Ensor, our Middle East Correspondent, has noted that the fact the jihadist group claimed the attack in record time could suggest it was an Isil directed, rather than inspired, attack.

11:27AM Iran: France made terrorists bolder

Iran: France made terrorists bolder

Iran sent its condolences over the latest jihadist attack in Paris, but said France was feeling the blowback from its "concessions" towards "brutal terrorists" in Syria, state media reported.

Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi condemned Thursday night's shooting that killed a policeman on the world-famous Champs Elysees avenue and expressed sympathy with the French people, the ISNA news agency reported.

But he added: "Unfortunately, concessions and at times supportive actions for brutal terrorists indicate a double standard by the Western world in dealing with terrorism, and have made terrorists bolder."

Iran has repeatedly accused Western governments of directly or indirectly supporting jihadists through their backing for rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Shiite-majority Iran strongly supports Assad against Sunni jihadists such as the Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack.

It labels all rebels fighting against Assad's forces as "terrorists".

"Once again we reiterate that terrorism is the first and most urgent danger for peace, stability and global security," Ghasemi said.

11:03AM Macron cancels rallies

Macron cancels rallies

Henry Samuel reports:

Emmanuel Macron, the centrist frontrunner in France's presidential elections, has cancelled his two last campaign rallies in Rouen and Arras, saying that he didn't want to take up police time and means given the terror risk. A pump action shotgun and knives found in car of the gunman. According to Le Parisien, police found Salafist documentation at the home of Karim Cheurfi's mother in Chelles, east of Paris. Three members of his entourage have been detained for questioning. According to Le Parisien, he wounded two policemen in 2001 - a young policeman in training and his brother after a car chase in a stolen car. The two brothers suffered chest injuries. Once detained, Cheurfi managed to grab an officer's weapon and shot him three times. The officer survived. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2003 for three attempted murders. The sentence was reduced to 15 years in 2005 and it was unclear when he was released. The French capital's daily said Cheurfi was arrested on February 23 of this year after expressing his intention to "kill policemen". He was "let go" after 24 hours in custody due to lack of evidence. After a violent robbery following his release, Cheurfi was obliged to regularly check in with a judge, but "failed to respect his obligations," said Le Parisien.

10:42AM Fillon: 'We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them'

Fillon: 'We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them'

Conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon on Friday said the fight against "Islamist totalitarianism" should be the priority of France's next president.

Seizing on Thursday night's killing of a police officer in an attack claimed by Islamic State, Fillon, who is lagging in opinion polls behind centrist Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen of the far right, told reporters:

"This battle for the freedom and security of the French must be the priority of the next government. It will require an unyielding determination and a cool head."

"Radical Islam is challenging our values and our strength of character."

Fillon, who has been campaigning on a hardline security platform, said: "We are at war, there is no alternative, it's us or them."

He added that the priority of his foreign policy would be to "destroy Islamic State."

In another address this morning, the far-left presidential candidate Philippe Poutou blamed French politics for the deadly attack.

Poutou, a car-factory worker backed by anti-capitalist party NPA, said the roots of extremist attacks are neither in mosques nor migrant camps.

He said: "They are in the situation of external and internal war maintained by the state, and in the injustice and discriminations maintained in the suburbs."

Poutou said the French state has to share the blame for attacks because it discriminates against people living in impoverished suburbs because of "their skin color or origins," takes military action in Africa and the Middle East and sells arms to dictatorships.

09:52AM Three family members detained

Three family members detained

The Paris prosecutors' office leading the investigation into the Champs-Elysees gun attack says police have detained for questioning three family members of the suspected gunman, who was shot and killed.

The prosecutors' office stressed that questioning family members is routine in such cases, as investigators seek to determine whether the gunman was acting alone, where he got his weapons and other details.

French police leave the house of the gunman killed in a shootout with police on the Champs Elysees Avenue, in the Paris suburb of Chelles credit: REUTERS/Charles Platiau

The Islamic State group quickly claimed responsibility for the attack that killed one police officers and injured two others on the iconic Parisian boulevard Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the Belgian man who had been linked by some as an accomplice to the Paris terror attack turned himself in, but authorities said there was no link.

Officers have also detained three members of the gunman's family credit: REUTERS/Charles Platiau

A prosecutor in Belgium's Antwerp said: "That man came to police late yesterday after he saw himself appear on social media as terror suspect No. 1 relating to yesterday's facts."

The prosecutor, who declined to be identified because the investigation was ongoing, said the man had nothing to do with the attack. "He was not part of a terrorism investigation."

Belgian Justice Minister Koen Geens told VRT network early this morning that "at this moment we have no information about Belgian links."

09:31AM Le Pen: 'It is time to stop being naive'

Le Pen: 'It is time to stop being naive'

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has said France should immediately reinstate border checks and expel foreigners who are on the watch lists of intelligence services.

Far-right leader and candidate for the presidential election Marine Le Pen speaks in Paris credit: AP Photo/Michel Euler

Reacting to Thursday night's killing of a police officer in an attack claimed by Islamic State, Le Pen, who has been campaigning on a hardline anti-EU, anti-immigration platform, urged the Socialist government to carry out immediately these measures that are included in her campaign manifesto.

She called for "a clear head and a firm grip" in the wake of the Champs-Elysees gun attack that put the focus back on one of the main themes of her election campaign for the French presidency: France's fight against Islamic extremism.

Speaking on RFI radio, Le Pen said: "It is time to stop being naive."

One of the key questions heading into Sunday's first-round vote is whether the attack on Thursday night that killed a police officer and injured two others could bump up the vote for her program of stepped-up security and border controls, more resources for police and tougher treatment of radicals listed on the government's database of people regarded as potential threats to national security.

08:54AM 'Unity that must prevail'

'Unity that must prevail'

Speaking at the Elysee Palace in Paris, French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said: "We must never yield to division.

"It is obscurantism and intolerance that must be fought, and more than ever, it is unity that must prevail.

"He appealed to people to show a spirit of responsibility and a sense of dignity."

French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve speaks next to Interior Minister Matthias Fekl (L) and Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas credit: THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen is due to speak in the coming minutes.

08:27AM Second suspect 'hands himself in'

Second suspect 'hands himself in'

A significant update from David Chazan in Paris. He reports that French sources say the man flagged up by Belgian authorities in connection with the attack has turned himself in to Belgian police.

"The man in the wanted notice issued by Belgian authorities presented himself to a police station in Antwerp," ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told AFP.

Three people described as “close to the attacker” are in custody, French police sources said.

08:14AM Face of gunman revealed

Face of gunman revealed

The first picture of the gunman, 39-year-old French national Karim Cheurfi, from an east Paris suburb, has been put out by AP on the condition that its source is not revealed.

Here it is:

Karim Cheurfi, the gunman opened fire on police on Paris credit: AP Photo

For more on Cheurfi, here is everything we know about him.

07:45AM Le Pen and Fillon cancel plans

Le Pen and Fillon cancel plans

David Chazan, in Paris, writes:

Marine Le Pen and François Fillon have cancelled their travel plans and will make statements later this morning. Ms Le Pen is to speak at 10 am local time (0900 BST) and Mr Macron at midday (1100 BST). President Hollande is expected to speak after chairing a meeting of his security cabinet beginning at 8am local time (0700 BST ). Police searched the suspected gunman’s home in the Paris suburb of Chelles overnight. His identity has been verified and confirmed by police and prosecutors but they do not want to make it public because they say they are still determining whether he acted alone or with accomplices wand do not want to compromise the investigation. However, he has been named as Karim Cheurfi, 39, a French national who was on the terrorist watch list and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2003 for the attempted murder of three men, including two policemen. The sentence was reduced to five years in 2005. Of the four leading candidates in the presidential election, which begins on Sunday with the first-round vote, Ms Le Pen and Mr Fillon have been campaigning strongly on law-and-order platforms, both promising to get tough on terrorism. Ms Le Pen has said that if she is elected, she would deport all foreign nationals on the terrorism watch list. Mr Macron and the far-Left candidate, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, may struggle to convince voters of their security and defence credentials. Mr Macron said in a tweet that, if elected, he would form an anti-Isil task force placed directly under the president's authority. According to the latest Elabe poll for BFM TV, taken just before the attack, Mr Macron pulled into the lead, on 24 per cent, well ahead of Ms Le Pen, on 21.5 per cent, Mr Fillon with 20 per cent, and Mr Mélenchon on 19.5 per cent. The Front National did not achieve sustained boosts in popularity after previous attacks.

06:22AM Champs-Elysees reopening after gun attack

Champs-Elysees reopening after gun attack

Paris' iconic Champs-Elysees boulevard is reopen and picking up its usual early morning routine on Friday morning.

Municipal workers in white hygiene suits washed down the sidewalk where Thursday night's attack took place. Delivery trucks were making their rounds. Traffic was going up and down the famous tree-lined street and police barriers have been taken down.

05:18AM Malcolm Turnbull and Mike Pence offer condolences

Malcolm Turnbull and Mike Pence offer condolences

Australia's prime minister has offered his country's prayers for the police officers who were shot in Paris and urged Australians in Europe to be wary.

Speaking to Australia's Seven Network, Malcolm Turnbull urged Australian travellers to check for security warnings on the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

He said: "Everywhere - but especially in Europe at the moment - pay close attention to your surroundings."

Mr Turnbull said that regional security will be among the topics he will discuss with US vice president Mike Pence, who will arrive in Sydney on Friday.

Mr Pence also commented on the shooting, saying it is "latest reminder that terrorism can strike anywhere, anytime." He said that the US "will not relent in our effort to end terrorism."

During a speech to business leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia, Mr Pence said that the people of Paris have "our condolences and our prayers." He said the US will continue to cooperate with the Indonesian government to fight against terrorism.

03:12AM British embassy in contact with local authorities

British embassy in contact with local authorities

The UK Foreign Office said: "The British embassy is in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of a shooting incident on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

"You should remain vigilant and follow the advice of the local security authorities and/or your tour operator.

"If you're in the area and it is safe to do so, contact your friends and family to tell them you are safe."

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The UK strongly condemns the appalling terrorist attack in Paris. The Prime Minister has tonight passed on her condolences to President Hollande."

01:29AM Police search address linked to suspect

Police search address linked to suspect

Police have searched a home in a suburb east of Paris believed linked to the attack on police on the Champs-Elysees, AP reports.

A police document obtained by The Associated Press identifies the address searched in the town of Chelles as the family home of Karim Cheurfi, a 39-year-old with a police record.

Two police officials told The AP that the chief suspect in Thursday's attack is a 39-year-old from an eastern Paris suburb.

Police tape surrounded the quiet, middle-class neighborhood in Chelles early Friday, and worried neighbors expressed surprise at the searches.

Archive reports by French newspaper Le Parisien say that Cheurfi was convicted of attacking a police officer in 2001.

A French soldier stands guard during ongoing police operations credit: EPA

12:05AM Gunman 'was known by intelligence services for radicalisation' and was 'let go' by anti-terror prosecutors

Gunman 'was known by intelligence services for radicalisation' and was 'let go' by anti-terror prosecutors

The 39-year old gunman was known by intelligence services for radicalisation and had previously targeted police 16 years ago in a car chase, when he opened fire on officers, according to reports.

During questioning in a police station, he managed to get hold of a police weapon and fire five times. The policeman survived, but the man was sentence to several years in prison for the attack.

The gunman, who has a previous murder conviction, had recently been detained for questioning in a police station in Meaux, outside Paris, after "informants" had indicated that he was "seeking to obtain weapons to kill policemen", according to reports.

But due to a lack of evidence, anti-terror prosecutors "let him go".

12:02AM Another French terror attack carried out by an Islamist extremist known to police

Another French terror attack carried out by an Islamist extremist known to police

Harriet Alexander reports:

The Champs Elysee attacker, like the majority of France’s terrorists, was believed to be “known to police”. The man has not been officially identified. But, the fact he was familiar to authorities, will raise yet more questions about how able Europe’s police forces are to cope with the large number of potential attackers. It takes at least 20 police to follow one person around the clock: the simple fact is that police have to chose who to follow. And sometimes they make the wrong decision. All three of the terrorists in the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks – Cherif and Said Kouachi, and Amedy Coulibaly – were known to police.

Read the full article.

11:29PM 'No one knew if it was over or if more attacks were happening, the way they did in 2015'

'No one knew if it was over or if more attacks were happening, the way they did in 2015'

Another witness, Walid, came out of a café on the Champs-Elysés and saw people running from the scene. “I asked what was wrong and they said there was shooting. I was 50 or 100 metres from the gunman and I started to run with them. Quite quickly we saw a helicopter over the area. Then police cars came and blocked off the area. There were a lot of sirens and flashing lights and people were terrified. No one knew if it was over or if more attacks were happening, the way they did in 2015.”

10:47PM Attacker 'boasted of wanting to kill police'

Attacker 'boasted of wanting to kill police'

According to BFM TV, the attacker had boasted of wanting to kill police on the Telegram messaging service.

10:39PM Islamic State claim responsibility

Islamic State claim responsibility

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terror group have claimed responsibility for the Paris attack.

10:36PM ' A man all in black took out a Kalashnikov and fired'

' A man all in black took out a Kalashnikov and fired'

Cyril, 40, a witness, said: “I was on the corner beside Marks and Spencer and Zara, waiting in my car for a friend, 10 or 15 metres from a police van. I saw a man all in black approaching the van as if he was asking for information, and he took out a Kalashnikov and fired, with his right hand.”

He added: “I started my car and pushed three or four other cars so I could do a U-turn. I’m totally certain he meant to kill the police. He was wearing a big black quileted coat and had hidden the gun under it.”

10:26PM Hollande: motive 'likely to be terrorism'

Hollande: motive 'likely to be terrorism'

President Franois Hollande said: "A national tribute will be paid to this policeman who was killed in such a cowardly way," he said.

"A passerby was hit. The assailant was neutralised by other police officers. The entire area has been cordoned off. The people present have been evacuated."

Mr Hollande said police were convinced that the attack was "terrorist in nature".

François Fillon, the conservative presidential candidate, confirmed on Thursday night that he was cancelling campaign trips on Friday, and added: "The fight against terrorism must be the absolute priority of the next French president."

Forensic teams were filmed combing a car believed to be that of the gunman.

One eye witness said: "It went incredibly fast. It really lasted 30 seconds. There were around 10 people around, and I think that we were very lucky as if there hadn't been police here, it would have been the crowd who took the bullets.

"In the event, it was as confrontation with police, otherwise it would have been a gunman against helpless people.

"The Champs wasn't really full, which was lucky. I just saw that the policemen were instantly on it, and that the gunman was hit straight away."

Another witness said: "He came out of his Audi, he got out a Kalashnikov, I heard six shots fired, we thought it was bangers, then we realised what was happening.. Then I saw the gunman fall."

"He could have targeted us on the pavement and killed several in a volley of bullets, but he went for the police first and they instantly returned fire and he fell down dead."

Police officers block the access of a street near the Champs Elysees in Paris credit: AFP

10:19PM Gunman 'fired six times then hid behind lorry'

Gunman 'fired six times then hid behind lorry'

A witness said he saw the gunman fire six times and then hide behind a lorry. “He fired at the police and then he crouched behind the lorry. Then he got up and ran and was shot by the police.”

Forensics officers in white boiler suits with hoods were deployed on the Champs-Elysées.

President Hollande is about to make a statement after chairing a government crisis meeting.

Police officers take positions near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, France, after a fatal shooting in which a police officer was killed along with an attacker credit: AP

10:16PM How terrorism in France is having a huge impact on presidential election

How terrorism in France is having a huge impact on presidential election

Henry Samuelwrites:

While the motives of the Champs-Elysées gunman remained unconfirmed, the timing just three days before the first round of presidential elections and during a prime time TV "debate" between all 11 official candidates clearly raises the question that extremists are seeking to influence the tone of the debate. Already in a state of emergency, France's security apparatus has been on maximum alert in recent days. Intelligence agents have been in a race against time to shut down clear and present threats to the personal security of several of the main candidates, reportedly most prominent among them François Fillon, the conservative candidate. Two men were arrested in Marseille on Tuesday with guns and bomb materials, and were in the final stages of preparing "several" attacks, according to French reports. The arrests coincided with a toughening of the discourse of Marine Le Pen, the far-Right Front National candidate, who gave her hardest-line speeches of the campaign in Paris on Monday and then again in Marseille on Wednesday night. In those she insisted that the past two administrations, both Left and Right, had failed to take the Islamist threat seriously. The Paris terror attacks, she said, would not have occurred had she been in power as several of the assailants who killed 130 took the migrant route to enter the country illegally. She threatened to effectively shut French borders, promising to draft in army reservists to do so, placing a temporary "moratorium" on legal immigration and then only allowing 10,000 in a year after that. Although polls suggest Ms Le Pen is on track to come in the top two of Sunday's first round vote, along with centrist Emmanuel Macron, political analysts have suggested that Ms Le Pen has been losing steam in recent days and that her campaign has failed to capitalise on early leads. She will surely seek to claw back support after this latest attack by insisting that France requires a more authoritarian regime. She commands signifiant support from within the French police, which lost an officer on Thursday night.

Read the full article.

10:02PM 'War weapon' used in attack

'War weapon' used in attack

A French government spokesman says the Paris assailant used a "war weapon" to fire on officers.

10:00PM 'Arrest warrant for second suspect who arrived by train from Belgium issued'

'Arrest warrant for second suspect who arrived by train from Belgium issued'

Police have issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect who arrived from Belgium by train, police sources have told Reuters.

09:57PM Police now state the second officer was not killed

Police now state the second officer was not killed

Pierre-Henry Brandet, the interior ministry spokesman, has said one police officer was killed and two seriously wounded. He said reports of two dead were incorrect. The attacker has not been identified, he said.

He also said there was only one shooting and reports of a second were incorrect.

Mr Brandet said police had a name for the gunman and it matched a suspect known to security services but the attacker’s fingerprints had not been matched with those of the suspect.

He confirmed that the attacker was shot dead as he tried to run away.

Police officers block the access of a street near the Champs Elysees in Paris credit: AFP

09:40PM Tributes paid to police officers

Tributes paid to police officers

François Fillon, the scandal-hit conservative presidential candidate, also paid tribute to the police officers, as did Benoit Hamon, the Socialist contender.

09:34PM Police helicopter searching central Paris for suspects

Police helicopter searching central Paris for suspects

A police helicopter was patrolling the area. A police source said it was equipped with a huge searchlight to help track down any attackers that might be on the run.

Bernard Cazeneuve, the prime minister, has joined President Hollande at the Elysée Palace for an emergency meeting.

09:31PM Champs Elysees on high alert

Champs Elysees on high alert

Police secure the Champs Elysee Avenue credit: Reuters

A police officer stands guard after the fatal shooting credit: AP

09:27PM Attacker's home being searched

Attacker's home being searched

Security forces are searching the home of the dead gunman in the east of Paris.

09:24PM Second policeman dies of wounds

Second policeman dies of wounds

The second policeman injured in shooting has died of his wounds, police sources told Reuters.

President Hollande has called an emergency security meeting.

09:23PM Anti-terror police open investigation

Anti-terror police open investigation

Anti-terrorist prosecutors have opened an investigation, indicating that the motive is believed to have been terrorism, and the attacker was known to the intelligence services, security sources said.

Mr Brandet, the interior ministry spokesman, confirmed that one police officer was killed and another was fighting for his life after being seriously wounded.

09:21PM Police: dead suspect 'was known to security services'

Police: dead suspect 'was known to security services'

Reports that the gunman killed was known to police.

09:14PM BREAKING Shots fired at new location near Champs Elysees

BREAKING Shots fired at new location near Champs Elysees

Police sources tell Reuters there is a second shooting in the area.

09:10PM 'Several assailants in attack'

'Several assailants in attack'

According to FranceTV Info, there were several assailants, some of whom were still at large.

09:09PM Trump: 'It never ends'

Trump: 'It never ends'

The US president has said: "It looks like another terrorist attack. What can you say? It never ends."

09:08PM Footage from the scene

Footage from the scene

09:04PM Robbery took place at same time as shooting

Robbery took place at same time as shooting

Pierre-Henry Brandet, the interior ministry spokesman, said one police officer was killed and two seriously wounded.

“The attacker was shot dead by police and the area remains cordoned off,” Mr Brandet said.

A car stopped near a police van before the attack and was found abandoned. It was suspected that the gunman used it to reach the scene of the attack.

Mr Brandet said a robbery may have been carried out at the same time as the attack. It was unclear if the two were linked.

He said several Métro stations had been closed while police make sure the area is safe.

Ambulances and police vans were seen parked in the middle of the Champs-Elysées near the Arc de Triomphe, with their blue lights flashing, and forensics officers were also at the scene.

08:58PM Champs Elysees remains sealed off, metro not stopping

Champs Elysees remains sealed off, metro not stopping

champs

08:56PM Attack comes just three days before presidential election

Attack comes just three days before presidential election

The attack came three days before the first round of balloting in France's tense presidential election. Security is high preceding the vote after police said they arrested two men Tuesday in what they described as a thwarted terror attack.

The two terror suspects were arrested in Marseille on Tuesday and found an arsenal of weapons and bomb-making equipment in their flat along with an Islamic State (Isil) flag.

It quickly emerged that police had been watching the pair for several weeks before they finally detained them on suspicion of plotting “an imminent and violent attack” in the run-up to Sunday’s first-round vote.

08:49PM 'Nothing is being ruled out'

'Nothing is being ruled out'

Yvan Assioma of the police union Alliance said:

The exact circumstances are still unclear but I can confirm the tragic death of one of our colleagues. Our thoughts are very much with the family. One or several attackers have been shot dead by the police. Some officers were hit but the bullets were stopped by their bulletproof vests, but two were hit. Nothing is being ruled out for the time being, terrorism or a criminal act.

08:48PM Details of attack emerging

Details of attack emerging

One of the suspects got out of a car and began shooting "with a Kalashnikov", hitting a policeman, an eyewitness has told Reuters.

The officer killed was apparently in a car stopped at a red light.

08:46PM Helicopters flying low over city centre

Helicopters flying low over city centre

Hundreds of heavily-armed officers are out in force on the Champs Elysees and around the Place de la Concorde.

08:39PM At least two attackers in Paris shooting

At least two attackers in Paris shooting

Police state there were at least two people involved in the shooting, one of them has been killed.

08:35PM Shooting happened near Franklin D Roosevelt metro station

Shooting happened near Franklin D Roosevelt metro station

The shooting happened near the Métro station Franklin D Roosevelt and the Marks and Spencer store on the Champs-Elysées.

Shops closed their shutters and restaurants locked their doors. Customers remained inside.

08:31PM Suspect shot dead

Suspect shot dead

The person who fired at police in Paris has been killed, police sources told Reuters.

08:30PM Police officer killed in central Paris shooting

Police officer killed in central Paris shooting

One of the police officers shot at on Champs Elysees has died, reports said.

The centre of the city is in lockdown.

The wide pavements of the iconic avenue were deserted after the shooting and police urged the public to avoid the area.

People ran for cover and witnesses reported seeing people in tears near the scene.

08:27PM Reports of police officers being shot at in central Paris

Reports of police officers being shot at in central Paris

Two police officers have been shot in central Paris, according to reports.

Officers were also investigating a "suspicious package".