Soldier shoots machete-wielding attacker near Louvre in Paris

A soldier on duty near the Louvre in Paris opened fire on a man who attempted to attack him with a machete, French officials said.

CNN reported that the man had rushed toward a group of soldiers and guards in the Carrousel du Louvre, the underground plaza near the museum, according to Michel Cadot, the Paris prefect. The man shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest), Cadot said. The soldier fired five shots in response.

Police said the area had been evacuated and the interior ministry said on Twitter the incident was "serious," Reuters reported.

The attacker was wearing two backpacks and may have had a second weapon, Cadot said. He was seriously injured by a bullet to the stomach, CNN reported. The soldier was slightly injured.

No explosives were found in the backpacks of the man, who was taken into custody alive.

About 250 people were in lock-down inside the Carrousel du Louvre, and the nearby metro station has been shut down, Cadot said.

Several hours later, staffers returned to the underground shopping mall and roadblocks were cleared, police said.

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