Civilian employee kills 4 in knife attack at Paris police HQ

Police officers stand guard outside the Paris police headquarters, Thursday, Oct.3, 2019 in Paris. An employee armed with a knife attacked officers inside Paris police headquarters Thursday, killing at least four before he was fatally shot, a French police union official said. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu) Police officers stand guard outside the Paris police headquarters, Thursday, Oct.3, 2019 in Paris. An employee armed with a knife attacked officers inside Paris police headquarters Thursday, killing at least four before he was fatally shot, a French police union official said. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

By Associated Press October 3, 2019 3 min read

Photo Gallery

Paris knife attack

People stand behind a police tape as they are evacuated nearby the police headquarters after an incident in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

Armed police officers and soldiers patrol after an incident at the police headquarters after in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

Armed soldiers patrol after an incident at the police headquarters in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

Police officers patrol in a rubber boat on the Seine river after an incident at the police headquarters in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

A helicopter is parked on the Pont Marie bridge after an incident at the police headquarters in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

A masked police officer stands next to a police tape after an incident in Paris, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A French police union official says an attacker armed with a knife has killed one officer inside Paris police headquarters before he was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

Rescue vehicles park on the bridge leading to the Paris police headquarters, left, Thursday, Oct.3, 2019. A union official says 4 police officers have died in a knife attack by an employee at Paris police headquarters. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

A police officer uses his phone near the Paris police headquarters, left, Thursday, Oct.3, 2019. A union official says 4 police officers have died in a knife attack by an employee at Paris police headquarters. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

PARIS (AP) – A civilian employee raged through Paris police headquarters with a knife Thursday, stabbing four police colleagues to death before he was shot and killed, French authorities said.

The man, a technology administrator in the police intelligence unit, launched the attack in his office then moved to other parts of the large 19th century building across the street from Notre Dame Cathedral.

Three of the people he killed were police officers, the fourth an administrator, the Paris prosecutor said.

An officer stopped the attack when he shot the assailant in the compound’s courtyard, said a police official. The official was not authorized to talk publicly about the case and requested anonymity.

The employee who carried out the attack had worked for the city’s police force since 2003 without ever arousing concerns, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said.