Paris shooting: Two dead and four injured after gunman opens fire

A gunman has opened fire in central Paris, killing two people and wounding four others.

The shooting took place close to a Kurdish cultural centre not far from the Gare de l'Est station.

A suspect aged 69 was quickly detained by police in connection with the attack.

Authorities appealed for people to avoid the area in Rue d'Enghien, in the 10th district in Strasbourg-Saint Denis.

"It's total panic, we've locked ourselves in," one shopkeeper told AFP news agency.

The witness said she had heard seven or eight bursts of gunfire. Two of those wounded in the shooting are said to be in a critical condition.

As police detained the suspect they recovered the weapon used in the attack, reports said. Prosecutors said they had opened a murder investigation.

The street close to Château d'Eau metro station has several restaurants and shops as well as the cultural centre.