A gunman has taken several people hostage in a cafe-tobacco shop in southwestern France, reports The Telegraph.
The suspect, armed and wearing a motorcycle helmet, burst into the cafe at 4.15pm local time.
According to BFMTV he is 17-years-old.
Early reports suggested he had taken five people hostage. Most now say he is holding at least four people.
According to La Dépeche du Midi, the local newspaper, all are women.
The suspect has tied them up, according to Le Figaro.
The man opened fire at police twice when they tried to approach the shop in Blagnac, a town near Toulouse airport, where he is holed up, said the national daily.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and local elite RAID police officers are at the scene. Others are reportedly being flown in from RAID headquarters near Paris.
France's interior minister, Christophe Castaner was on his way to the scene.
According to La Dépêche, police sources are not treating the incident as terror-related, saying they believe it may be the result of a botched armed robbery.