Masked Gunmen Shot Twelve Dead At French Satirical Magazine

Twelve people have been shot dead at the headquarters of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, say police.

Two masked gunmen are reported to have stormed the offices of the controversial publication, which has previously been attacked over its portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed.

They are believed to have been armed with Kalashnikov rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade.

Possible paris shooters

Two gunmen are being hunted by police in Paris

According to the AFP news agency, the attackers shouted: "We have avenged the prophet."

A manhunt is under way for the gunmen, who escaped after a shootout in the street with police.

A dramatic photograph has been published in Le Monde newspaper of two gunmen dressed in black, standing either side of vehicle, apparently pointing their weapons at a police car.

And graphic footage taken from the top of a building shows a firefight in the street below, shouting and gunfire can be heard and two people can be seen levelling weapons.

There is also film of a police officer being executed by the gunmen as he lies on the ground, holding his hands up.

The dead are believed to include two police officers. Four people have also been critically injured.

Ambulances are at the scene.

According to reports, three officers had initially arrived on pushbikes, but left when they realised how heavily-armed the raiders were.

The gunmen are believed to have left several minutes later and attempted to car-jack a vehicle.

Benoit Bringer, a journalist with Agence Premiere Ligne who saw the attack, told the iTele network he saw several masked men armed with machine guns.

Henry Samuel, the Daily Telegraph's Paris correspondent, told Sky News: “According to people on the ground, two masked gunmen burst into the offices very heavily armed, (with) Kalashnikovs, apparently even with a rocket-propelled grenade, and opened fire, leaving several minutes later.

“Somebody who was nearby on the roof and saw much of the incident said three policemen then arrived on a pushbike.

"When they saw how armed these men were they left and then there was a kind of gunfight in the street.”

He added: "Then the gunmen escaped and are currently on the run, being pursued. They moved towards the east of Paris. While fleeing they wounded a policeman and a passer-by was also hit.

"They've changed cars. They were in a black (Citroen) DS, now they've taken somebody else's vehicle."

French President Francois Hollande is now at the scene amid heavy security.

He said the security level in Paris had been raised, and the gunmen were being hunted.

"An act of barbarism has been committed against a newspaper in Paris," he said.

"We have to be firm, we have to be strong.

Play video "Cameron: We Stand With France"

"We will punish the attackers." 

He added: "France is in shock. We are a united country." 

Mr Hollande also said 40 people had been "saved" at the scene. 

A crisis meeting of the French cabinet is to be held to discuss the attack.

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "The murders in Paris are sickening. We stand with the French people in the fight against terror and defending the freedom of the press."

Sky News