BREAKING NEWS

Brief crowd panic occurs in Paris after man commits suicide

Panic broke out briefly in a business and shopping district of Paris on Saturday after a man committed suicide, a police spokesperson said.

The spokesperson dismissed reports that gunshots had been fired. Police had urged people to avoid the area as a result of the incident, in which a man jumped to his death.

People had rushed away from La Defense area in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Paris has been hit by a number of militant attacks in recent years.

A police operation is underway at Paris' La Defense business district, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

The Paris police department earlier issued a tweet advising the public to avoid the area. The Paris police department did not give further details in their tweet.