Notre Dame attacker lunges at cop with hammer in dramatic video

In the video, the assailant tumbles to the ground after being shot by police.

ByABC News
June 7, 2017, 4:38 AM

— -- Footage shows the moment a hammer-wielding man was shot and wounded near the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Tuesday.

In the video obtained by ABC News, the attacker lunges at a policeman with a hammer. He is then seen tumbling to the ground after he's shot by another officer.

The man allegedly shouted "This is for Syria" as he attacked outside the cathedral, according to French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb. Another police officer shot and wounded the assailant, who is now in the hospital, according to officials.

Police discovered a video of allegiance to ISIS while conducting a subsequent search of a residence linked to the suspect, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

The three policemen, who were "in charge of surveillance, especially for tourists around Notre Dame," were on patrol when the man allegedly approached one officer from behind and started hitting him with a hammer, said Collomb.

In addition to the hammer, the suspect was armed with kitchen knives and other unsophisticated weapons, Collomb said, adding that he appeared to have acted alone.

The injured officer is recovering in the hospital, according to police. The Paris counter-terrorism office has opened an investigation following the incident, the French prosecutor's office said.

ABC News' Emily Shapiro and Paul Pradier contributed to this report.

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