One policeman was killed and another severely injured in a shooting incident on Thursday evening near the Champs Elysees shopping street in Paris.
At least two gunmen were involved in the shooting, and one was shot dead, Xinhua news agency quoted local media as saying.
Helicopters were seen patrolling the area, according to sources near the site.
Around 20 gunshots were fired while shoppers were trapped in the stores. The Paris police department has advised people to avoid going to the area on its Twitter account.
The cause of the incident remains unknown, but media reports say that the police are investigating it as a possible terrorist act.