A gunman killed at least three people and wounded a dozen others at the famed Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday before fleeing the scene, authorities said.
A manhunt was underway after the killer opened fire at around 8 pm (1900 GMT) on one of the city's busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety.
Soldiers patrolling the area as part of regular anti-terror operations exchanged fire with the suspect and wounded him, but could not stop him escaping, police sources said.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said early Wednesday the gunman had killed three people and wounded 12. Earlier, Mayor Roland Ries had given a toll of "four dead and a dozen wounded".
Castaner also said France had raised its security alert level to "emergency attack" with "the implementation of reinforced border controls and tightened controls on all Christmas markets in France to avoid the risk of a copycat" attack.
The gunman has been identified and was on a watchlist of suspected extremists, a statement from local security services said.
France's security forces, already on a high alert after a series of terror attacks since 2015, are particularly stretched at the moment due to anti-government protests that have swept the country.
"I heard shooting and then there was pandemonium," one witness, who gave his name as Fatih, told AFP. "People were running everywhere." He said he had seen three people injured on the ground only a few metres from the giant Christmas tree at the centre of the city.
Shortly after the shooting, lines of police vehicles and ambulances streamed into the market area, under festive lights declaring the city the "capital of Christmas."
"Our first thought was for colleagues who had already made it to the centre of town, who are safe," Belgian MEP Kathleen Van Brempt told AFP. "Now we just wait."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content