A woman police officer was killed in Paris as France held a day of mourning for the 12 people shot dead in the country's worst terror atrocity this century,
In what is feared to be a copycat attack after yesterday's carnage at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the officer was gunned down in Mont- rouge, a suburb in the south of the capital, by a man armed with a high-powered assault rifle.
The officer in the latest attack had stopped to investigate a traffic accident when the firing started shortly after 8am today. She was critically injured and later died of her injuries.
One gunman was held at the scene but reports said a second suspect fled via the Metro. A street cleaner was also said to be injured in the attack.
Details of the fast-moving hunt for the two fanatics were revealed as the first picture emerged of the wounded cycle policeman mercilessly executed by the gunmen as he lay helpless on the ground amid the magazine shootings.
Video images of married Muslim officer Ahmed Merabet, 42, killed as he pleaded for his life on the pavement, shocked the world.
“Do you want to kill me?” said the officer holding up his hands. “OK chief,” replied a gunman before fatally shooting him in the head.
France was today on maximum terror “Attack Alert” and bolstered security with more than 800 extra soldiers to guard media offices, places of worship and other possible targets.
A minute’s silence was being held at midday across France. The bells of Notre Dame Cathedral in the capital tolled for the dead.
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Hundreds filled London’s Trafalgar Square last night, many holding pens, pencils and notebooks in the air to show their solidarity for the murdered journalists and police officers.
Others held aloft makeshift placards reading “Je Suis Charlie” — “I Am Charlie”. The phrase has come to represent people’s shock and outrage at the massacre and has been trending on Twitter. There were similar scenes at the Place de la République in Paris and around the world.
Cartoonists posted satirical pictures on Twitter showing their take on the attack in an act of defiance.
