Gunman takes several people hostage in southwestern France

A gunman was holding several people hostage in a newsagent store in the Blagnac suburb of Toulouse in southwestern France on Tuesday, in what a police source said appeared to be a botched armed robbery. The gunman fired at least one shot over the heads of elite RAID officers and had demanded a negotiator, the source said, adding that the incident did not appear to be terrorism-motivated. Police believe five individuals are being held by the assailant, the source said. Police told neighbours to stay indoors and set up a 300 metre security perimetre around the store. 

(With inputs from agencies.)