Six hostages were held by a gunman in Asieland travel agency on Boulevard Massena, in the city's 13th arrondissement past 6:30 Friday evening. Police suspected a failed robbery attempt.
It was reported that the man tried to force the travel agents to be given access to the safe before fleeing. Around 9 p.m. the incident ended with six hostages being released, but the gunman has already fled.
The armed man has managed to escape once the police have secured the area.The six people had been found safe, and no harm was done after the hold-up at the southern Paris agency. Jerome Coumet, the mayor of the 13th arrondissement, announced to the press that "It was an attempt at an armed robbery that went wrong."
He continued to say that the police intervened immediately and there are no reports of victims or any damage so far. "The police are doing everything to bring the situation under control," he said.
Coumet explained that there were two different floors, a ground floor, and a basement. A CCTV camera showed the travel agents inside but with no robber. "The employees were afraid that the robber would still be there, which was not the case," he said. "Everyone was released, but the robber has not yet been arrested," he added.
Sources say the travel agency is popularly used by Asian customers who dealt with cash transactions. It was also raided a month ago by an unknown burglar. The suspect is still at large.
Passers-by were shocked but told to remain calm as news of the hostage-taking broke on Friday. France is still under an official state of emergency following a series a series of terror attacks which have been claimed by the Islamic State for two years.
