A man was shot dead by two policemen who threatened them with a knife in Paris

Two policemen shot and killed a man who threatened them with a knife at a major train station in Paris, according to a police source.

The source explained that the man was carrying a knife 30 cm long, with "ACAB" written on it, a shorthand for "All policemen are bastards."

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that the two policemen were targeted around 07:00, while they were patrolling the crowded station that runs trains to northern France and neighboring countries, such as Britain, Belgium and Germany.

He added: "The two policemen used their weapons in order to ward off any danger to them and the passengers."

A journalist from France Televisions, who was at the station at the time of the accident, posted a video on social media in which two gunshots could be heard.

Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Jabbari explained on Radio Monte Carlo that the attacker was "a person known to the police for his wanderings at the station".

He continued, "It was reported that he attacked (the policemen) with a knife, which prompted the police to use their weapon."

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