Police open fire on Tour de France course
July 26, 2015
The car attempted to break through the barriers at Place de la Concorde in downtown Paris Sunday, according to Luc Poignant, a spokesman with the SGP police union. The shooting occurred only hours before the expected arrival of the cyclists for the final leg of the world-famous bicycle race.
Officers opened fire on the vehicle with two people inside, which ultimately drove away with both the driver and passenger showing no signs of injury. The search for them is underway.
Officials said they opened fire after the car sped away from a nearby checkpoint.
No officers were harmed in the incident, Poignant told French television station BFM.
Police suspect the driver may have been intoxicated. The same vehicle hit another car before trying to break through the fence, local media reported.
A 'minor' incident
Hundreds of thousands of spectators are set to gather at the large square and along Champs Elysees for the final stage of Tour de France, scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
The shooting should have no impact on the competition, according to Tour de France race director Thierry Gouvenou.
Security for the popular event was additionally beefed up this year, due to terror attacks in Paris in January.
"This is a minor incident. It wasn't aimed at the Tour de France, it's not terrorism, it's just a simple refusal to comply, as there are many every day," a police official told the Reuters news agency.
dj/jlw (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)