Facebook and Instagram posts of Paris attacks show chaos, gunshots, and survivors
Paris is reeling tonight from an apparent multi-pronged attack in the 10th Arrondissement, including a shooting, explosions, and a hostage situation that killed more than 100 people.
The attacks began with a shootout at a restaurant in the 10th Arrondissement around 10 p.m. local time, followed by explosions at bars near the Stade de France, where the French national soccer team was playing a match against Germany. The Associated Press reports at least 35 people died in the initial assault.
Gunmen also took hostages at at the Bataclan concert hall, which was hosting a concert by the Eagles of Death Metal. They remained in the theater until security forces stormed it around 12 a.m. Saturday. The AP reports at least 100 people died in the theater.
Once the attacks began, a few bystanders captured gunshots on film, although it’s unclear whether the shots are from the gunmen or police.
https://www.instagram.com/p/-CuWCRJgPd/
About an hour after news of the attack first broke, Parisians began to post police and healthcare workers arriving at the scene, even as the hostage situation at the Bataclan concert hall continued.
The city began to shift into lockdown mode, leading to many photos of police vans and ambulances blocking off streets.
https://www.instagram.com/p/-CvOC1oahr/
At least one person posted saying he had been a captive in the Bataclan concert hall and escaped.
Meanwhile, soccer fans who were kept inside the Stade de France by police documented the experience.
Parisians not in the immediate area began to reach out to see if nearby friends or family were safe.
This post is updating as more information becomes available.
Casey Tolan is a National News Reporter for Fusion based in New York City.
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