Paris Hostages Freed: 'Determined and Violent' Gunman Demanded Contact With Iranian Embassy

An armed man took three hostages in Paris on Tuesday afternoon, demanding to be put in contact with the Iranian Embassy. The hostages have now been freed and the suspect arrested, the French interior minister announced.

The man was described as "determined and violent" and claimed to have a handgun and a bomb according to police, The Guardian reported. Police also said the man was believed to have an accomplice outside the building where he was holding the hostage in a northern district of the French capital. At this time, police do not currently believe the situation is terror-related.

2018-06-12T165157Z_1406686768_RC1699784260_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-SECURITY
French special police forces (BRI) secure the street as a man takes people hostage at a business in Paris, on June 12. Police also said the man was believed to have an accomplice outside the building... REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The man entered the building located on Rue des Petites Écuries around 4 p.m., pretending to be delivering food. He reportedly struck one man, who managed to escape but was doused with gasoline. A pregnant woman, who was treated for shock, also managed to get away.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb posted on Twitter just before 8 p.m. in Paris, saying the hostages had been freed and the suspect was detained by police.

#Paris10 : l’individu a été interpellé et les otages sont hors de danger.
Je salue le professionnalisme et la réactivité des forces de police et de secours, en particulier la BRI de la @prefpolice et les @PompiersParis dont l’appui a été déterminant.

— Gérard Collomb (@gerardcollomb) June 12, 2018

Hostages were held in an interior garden of the building, which is used for residential and business purposes. Using anti-explosive robots up and down the street, police surrounded the area to prevent the hostage taker from escaping, CNN reported.

2018-06-12T153634Z_2093708919_RC19A0A13270_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-SECURITY
French police with their dog secure the street as a man takes people hostage at a business in Paris, on June 12. The hostages have now been freed and the suspect arrested, the French interior minister... REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The suspect was reportedly holding a letter he wanted to be handed over to the Iranian ambassador. He requested that the ambassador then pass the note to French authorities.

France remains in a state of high alert after a string of terror attacks have rocked the country since 2015. Last month, a knife-wielding attacker, who was later claimed by the Islamic State, went on a stabbing rampage in Paris.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Jason Lemon is a Weekend Editor at Newsweek based in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to taking on the editor role, Jason's reporting focused on ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go