Taking hostages in a tobacco in France: an armed man threatens the police with the murder of five people

Several people are held in a tobacco the city of Blagnac, on the outskirts of Toulouse (south of la France) in a situation of hostages that resulted in a large deployment of law enforcement.

The prefecture (government delegation) indicated on its Twitter account that there was "an ongoing police operation in the area of ​​the port plan of Blagnac" and asked the population to avoid the sector and to respect the security perimeter.

A spokesman for the prefecture explained to EFE What the first elements do not seem to indicate a terrorist actalthough it refers to the most accurate information that was going to be provided because the facts were better known.

According to the chain BFMTV, the taking of hostages began at 4:20 pm (2:20 pm) and was organized by an armed man who entered the tobacco shop called the police and said that he had kidnapped five people.

TV channel France 3 He said the abductor had baderted the presence of a negotiator and had threatened to shoot down one of the people he detained if he did not back down the security perimeter .

Officers of the police elite unit, the Raid, have moved to the scene.