Shoppers flee from Westfield mall in panic after man 'falls to death'

18 February 2023 , 18:08

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Shoppers flee from Westfield mall in panic after man 'falls to death'

A brief but large panic was caused in Paris on Saturday after a man reportedly took his own life in a shopping centre.

Fears of a shooting were raised after a dramatic video showed shoppers fleeing a Paris mall after reportedly hearing gunshots.

A police operation in response to the incident, which occurred at around 5.15pm, is now underway and local reports from the area indicate authorities are investigating the possibility of a suicide.

Reports from BFMTV say police sources informed them that a man had fallen five stories to the ground, which may have sparked panic in the shopping centre.

French police have since dismissed the reports that gunshots had been heard in the Westfield Les 4 Temps in La Défense, in western Paris.

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Police said publicly an "incident" triggered a rush of people trying to leave the area.

Shoppers flee (Twitter)

Some French reports suggest panic was caused after a man fell to the ground (Twitter)

Government minister Gérald Darmanin said: "A police operation is taking place in La Défense. I asked the prefect of police to go there."

Earlier today, police warned people to avoid the area and said officers are "on site and securing the scene."

Nearby roads and parts of the Metro lines were briefly closed.

The popular shopping centre saw over 40 million people walk through its doors in 2019 alone.

Paris has experienced a number of terror attacks in recent years, leading to the potential of panic when a suspected incident occurs.

Panic was caused in 2020 when a fighter jet flew over the city and caused a sonic boom. Tennis players playing at the French Open were also seen reacting to the alarming bang as people tried to work out what was going on.

Police said panic was caused by an 'incident' (Twitter)

A French Airforce spokesman said at the time: "A Rafale took off from the Saint-Dizer base to respond to the loss of radio contact with another aircraft.

"Its mission was to accompany the aircraft and make sure that everything was OK. The Rafale caused a supersonic boom in the east of Paris."

The Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch.

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