A French soldier shot and wounded a knife-wielding assailant near the Louvre Museum in Paris on Friday after the man attempted to attack him, police said Friday. Paris police chief Michel Cadot says the attacker shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest, in Arabic) before he attempted to assault the soldier at the museum's basement level, near a shopping area. The suspect is alive but in serious condition and is receiving medical attention, the Interior Ministry said. The soldier suffered a slight head injury. The soldier opened fire in self-defence after facing threats from the assailant, the ministry said, adding that there was only one attacker. Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve notes the apparent "terrorist "terrorist characteristic" of the attack. All metro stations near the museum have been closed, and a museum employee told dpa that visitors were being required to stay inside. Police said 250 people were inside the museum area and were being kept in a safe space.
