THREE people have died and four more were injured after gunshots were fired in a central district of the French capital, the Paris prosecutor said on Friday.

The shooting took place near the Ahmet Kaya Kurdish cultural centre in the Rue d’Enghien, in the capital’s 10th arrondissement.

The gunman was arrested by police at a nearby hair salon.

Emmanuel Gregoire, the city’s deputy mayor, said: “A gun attack has taken place. Thank you to the security forces for their swift action.”

An as yet unnamed 69-year-old man was arrested at the scene and is being detained for questioning. 

The Paris prosecutor’s office are said to be examining a possible racist motive behind the shooting.

Police sources have told reporters that the shooter is known to them for two previous attempted murders in 2016 and 2021.

French TV reported on Friday that the alleged perpetrator was arrested a year ago after attacking a migrant camp with a sword and was under investigation for racist violence.

The attack comes just ahead of the 10th anniversary of the murder of three Kurdish activists in 2013.

Sakine Cansiz, the co-founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, along with Fidan Dogan and Leyla Saylemez, were murdered on January 9, 2013 in Paris.