Soldier fires at attacker outside Louvre in Paris

A FRENCH soldier on guard at the Louvre in Paris has opened fire at a suspected attacker according to media reports.

A soldier is said to have been attacked with a machete, which left him with a slight head injury.

The incident began at 10am local time in the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre.

A patrol of four soldiers initially tried to subdue the assailant using non-lethal force when he attacked them.

When this failed and one soldier was injured, shots were fired, and the suspected attacker was taken to hospital.

A second person has been detained after “acting suspiciously” police said.

According to a source quoted by Reuters, the assailant was trying to enter the museum’s underground shop carrying two rucksacks suitcase.

PM Bernard Cazaneuve said the attack was “terrorist in nature.”