Paris police fire on a man who attacked them with a knife near Arc de Triomphe

Suspect is in critical condition after officers open fire; anti-terror probe launched

A police officer speaks with a man as law enforcement maintain a cordon after authorities said a man armed with a knife attacked a police officer near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, February 13, 2026. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

A man armed with a knife tried to attack a police officer near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Friday, resulting in a second police officer opening fire to subdue him, the Paris police and the mayor for Paris' 8th district said.

The man was taken to the hospital in a critical condition, Paris police said. The police officer was not harmed and no one else was wounded.

The attack took place near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where police officers were rekindling the flame, Paris police said.

The French anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said in a statement it was aware of the situation and had opened an inquiry into the incident.

It was not immediately clear why the anti-terrorism prosecutor's office reacted so swiftly.