Car Escapes Police Gunfire at Tour de France in Paris

Police fired at a car as it tried to smash through a security barrier set up for the finals of the Tour de France bike race in Paris, sparking a huge manhunt in the French capital Sunday morning, NBC News reported.

"Several shots [were] fired at the Place de la Concorde this morning against a speeding car trying to avoid a traffic control inspection," Paris police spokesman Eric Trunel told NBC News. "The car did not stop. Instead it sped towards the officers and the officers opened fire."

The driver was able to escape in a small vehicle with tinted windows, he added. The car had two occupants, according to Reuters.

The incident, which occurred at around 8 a.m. (2 a.m. ET), was being investigated but was not considered an attempt to commit a terrorist attack, Trunel said.

Police confirmed to NBC News that the car was later found abandoned a short distance from the Place de Concorde. A Renault Twingo was found but the suspects are still on the run, officials said.

The owner of the car, however, was identified and police expect the investigation to wrap up very soon, suggesting an arrest was imminent.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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