Tragedy strikes a satirical publication in France
Masked gunman rushed the newsroom of satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo early this morning, leaving 12 dead and the entire nation on edge. According to an AP report, the gunman fled the scene in a car they eventually abandoned, and to authorities’ knowledge, they completed their escape in a stolen vehicle. The Daily Mail says the shooters initially sought out journalists by name.
Unfortunately, Hebdo is no stranger to such attacks. In 2011, their offices were firebombed after the cover of a spoof issue featured a caricature of the Prophet Muhammed, and the publication has been criticized by the Muslim world for years, and had received threats of violence in the past.
Francois Hollande, president of France, says this is “without a doubt” an act of terror, and it is the worst such act to hit France in two decades. Naturally, the entire country is currently under an extremely heightened level of security.
Video courtesy of the Daily Mail shows Hebdo assailants engaging in a firefight with police officers.
