Arrest after shooting in eastern France leaves one dead

[Update 1/6/2023 15:30: the gunman surrendered to police earlier this afternoon and has now been arrested]

Residents are being advised to stay inside after a shooting in the town of Nantua, Ain, on Thursday (June 1) morning.

A 19-year-old man has died and three others suffered injuries, including one man who was airlifted to Lyon-Sud hospital.

The assailant fled on foot after the shooting, with police currently hunting him down, and a crisis unit from the department has been activated.

The fire brigade was called to a café in the town centre (on the intersection between rue des Tanneries and rue Dr Mercier around 10:30, where the shooting took place

Police have cordoned off the surrounding area.

A man in his thirties opened fire on the café, injuring four people, including a father and his son, according to French media reports.

Schools locked down, police in pursuit

Authorities in the area have asked residents to stay inside whilst police hunt the attacker.

The prefecture tweeted an alert asking residents to stay inside, and not to bother police officers who have descended on the city.

Schoolchildren have remained on-site during the incident, according to local news outlet Le Progrés.

The site reported at around 13:00 that police think the suspected shooter is holed up in a flat on rue de l’Hôtel de Ville.