STRASBOURG: Members of the French police conducting searches on a bank of the river Rhine on Wednesday to find the gunman — AFP PARIS, Dec 12 (BBC): France has issued a maximum level of alert as police hunt a gunman who opened fire at a Christmas market in the eastern city of Strasbourg.
Three people were killed and 13 wounded, eight of them seriously.
The gunman, 29, known to authorities as having been radicalised in prison, escaped after reportedly being injured.
Some 350 officers are involved in the search for the gunman. The deputy interior minister has acknowledged he may no longer be in France.
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the country had issued an "urgence attentat" (emergency attack) alert, expanding police powers and creating the highest degree of vigilance.
He added that border controls had been strengthened and security at all Christmas markets would be stepped up.
The mayor of Strasbourg, Roland Ries, has said the Christmas market will be closed on Wednesday and flags lowered to half-mast at the local town hall.
Protests have also been banned in the city - which is the seat of the European parliament - but not in the rest of France, Reuters news agency said. The country is in the midst of a wave of protests highlighting the economic frustration and political distrust of poorer working families.
The attack unfolded at around 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Tuesday close to Strasbourg's famed Christmas market near one of the central squares, Place Kléber, which attracts thousands of visitors at this time of year.
A woman called Audrey told France's BFM TV how she came face to face with the killer.
"He came out from the porch of a building armed with a pistol in his hand, his arm outstretched. He headed towards a gentleman walking in front of me and he immediately fired a bullet at his head," she said.
The gunman then opened fire for a second time, and another man fell to ground.
Her friends began to run to safety, but Audrey was frozen to the spot. The gunman turned, and faced her - but then he too ran.
"Why didn't he shoot at me?" she told the TV channel. "I don't know. I think I was extremely lucky. As everyone was screaming he fled."
At some point in the moments that followed, the gunman exchanged fire with officers who were patrolling the area as part of anti-terror measures.
It is thought he was injured. According to Mr Castaner, the man "fought twice with our security forces".
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