Other Twitter feeds remained ominously silent after announcing the start of the concert at the Bataclan concert hall, where at least 82 people were later killed by gunmen wielding AK47s.
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“We heard so many gunshots and the terrorists were very calm, very determined and they reloaded three or four times”.
“I clearly heard them say “It’s the fault of Hollande, it’s the fault of your president, he should not have intervened in Syria”, he said.
He made it to the street, where 20-25 people lay splayed across the road – many dead or injured very badly.
“Most of the people were afraid, because by this time they had heard by telephone or on the internet that there were bombings outside, and in Paris”, he said. “I was luckily at the top of the stage, on the front of the stage”. It was part of a coordinated attack that marked the deadliest day in Paris since World War II. Hollande said several dozens were killed and called the attacks “unprecedented”.
Two attackers were killed, a police union said.
In all, French authorities put the number of dead at 128, though the death toll is expected to fluctuate as the situation becomes clearer.
Airports in France remained open, and airlines were still flying there, though a few airlines reported canceled flights.
‘Met a US Marine who just came today for his birthday. Saint-Denis is home to the national stadium where the soccer match was being played.
French President Francois Hollande, in an address to the nation, said he had declared a state of emergency, meaning borders will be closed.
As the police, emergency services and military mobilised armoured vehicles, ambulances and helicopters, the heart of the French capital was sealed off.
The explosions took place near the Stade de France stadium, one of the sources said, where Germany was playing France. BFMTV said the ongoing hostage situation was at a theater named Bataclan. The gunmen had loads of time to reload at least three times.
France has been on high alert ever since Islamist gunmen attacked the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a Kosher supermarket in Paris in January, killing 18 people.
Armed with AK47s and shouting “Allahu akbar”, four of the terrorists marched into a rock concert at the Bataclan venue in eastern Paris, murdering at least 82 people and taking dozens hostage. “We ducked with the other diners”, she said.
People react as they gather to watch the scene near the Bataclan concert hall. “I don’t know what’s happening”, a sobbing witness who gave her name only as Anna told BFM TV outside the Bataclan hall. He was lucky enough to be able to climb onto the stage and find an exit while the terrorists were reloading.
The journalist said he took a teenage girl who was bleeding heavily and carried her to a taxi where he told the driver to take her to hospital.
Mr. Pearce also told CNN that the men he saw were not wearing masks, and just stood there “firing randomly” into the small concert room. He was communicating with them by text message; they were hiding.
The gunmen seized hostages before French police stormed in and rescued 100 people.
He said he saw the face of one gunman, who was probably 20 to 25 years old.
Asked if he could hear what language they were speaking, he replied, “Nothing”. They didn’t shout anything.
“If people are stranded, I can accommodate two of three people on Rue des Martyrs”, offered one user, while WroteGabDeLioncourt said: “Our sofa is always available for two/three people in Maraichers”.
What happened was awful.
“It lasted for ten minutes”.
I mean, it’s not a huge concert room. We heard two big bangs in the first half and then another one that was smaller.
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Thousands of Parisians used the hashtag #PorteOuverte (open door) to organise places to stay for people who had been left stranded – particularly in areas that had been attacked.
