French police have shot dead the man believed to have attacked Strasbourg’s Christmas market, police sources have told reporters.
Cherif Chekatt had been on the run since the attack on Tuesday evening.
Three people have died following the shooting at the popular attraction and several more were seriously injured.
France Info reported that Chekatt was killed by police after he was found hiding in a warehouse in the Meinau area of the city.
The suspect had a string of criminal convictions and had become a radical Islamist while in prison.
Hundreds of French police and security forces had been searching for him.
Meinau is not far from the Neudorf district, where the suspect was last seen and where he lived.
A large police operation took place in Neudorf earlier on Thursday, but ended apparently without results.
According to French media, Chekatt was killed by police after opening fire on them. No police were injured, it was reported.
Five people have been arrested in connection with the attack. They include Cherif Chekatt’s parents and two of his brothers.
What do we know about the suspect?
According to police, Cherif Chekatt was born in Strasbourg and was already known to the security services as a possible Islamist terrorist threat.
He was the subject of a “fiche S”, a watchlist of people who represent a potential threat to national security.
He has 27 convictions for crimes including robbery spanning France, Germany and Switzerland, and has spent considerable time in prison as a result.
Police were seeking him on Tuesday morning in connection with another case, but did not find him at home.
A search of his apartment in Neudorf revealed a grenade, a rifle, four knives – two of which were hunting knives – and ammunition.
Who were the victims of the attack?
The death of Kamal Naghchband, originally from Afghanistan, was announced on Thursday. The father of three died in hospital. His mosque announced that his funeral will take place after Friday prayers.
A retired bank worker aged 61, from Strasbourg, was also killed in the attack, according to Le Figaro.
The third victim is believed to be a Thai tourist who was on holiday with his wife. Anupong Suebsamarn, 45, has been named by Thai media as one of the dead.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Be the first to comment