Dozens of people have been killed in multiple gun attacks in Paris
and a hostage-taking situation. Here are some accounts from witnesses in
the city:
'Blood Everywhere'
A witness coming out of the Bataclan concert hall, where up to 60
people were taken hostage, said attackers "fired onto the crowd with a
semi-automatic weapon", FranceInfo reported.
"We manage to escape, there was blood everywhere."
READ: Paris attacks kill more than 140
'Pretty Horrific'
Ben Grant was in a bar with his wife when one of the shootings
occurred. He said they saw six or seven bodies on the ground and were
told shots had been fired from cars.
"There are lots of dead people. It's pretty horrific to be honest... I
was at the back of the bar. I couldn't see anything," he said.
"I heard gunshots. People dropped to the ground. We put a table over our heads to protect us.
"We were held up in the bar because there was a pile of bodies in front of us."
'We Heard Two Big Bangs'
Liberation newspaper has quoted Vincent, a journalist who was at the
Stade de France, where France was playing Germany in a football game.
"Everybody went onto the pitch. The crowd of anxious people began
moving after the final whistle, no one knew what had happened outside.
We heard two big bangs in the first half and then another one that was
smaller. A helicopter was in the air above the stadium after half time,"
he said.
"The match carried on as if nothing had happened but we were
following everything on Twitter, especially the fact that President
Hollande had been evacuated even though none of us saw him leave. I
didn't see any of the second half. There was an announcement that people
should leave via the south, north and west exits but five minutes later
many of the spectators had returned."
'SOUNDED LIKE FIREWORKS'
Jonathon Hill from Cardiff is currently working in Paris. He says he saw a man directing people into the Bataclan concert hall:
"I was getting cash out of an ATM outside the Metro station which is
probably about 50-70 yards away from the Bataclan itself. As I was
collecting my cash, I heard three distinct firing shots that at first I
didn't believe were actual shots from a gun. They almost sounded like
fireworks cracking off in the middle of the street.
"And while that happened I saw a guy probably 6' 4" - 6' 5", quite a
heavy set man, looked Caucasian from about 50 yards away. And he was in
the middle of the street shouting "Allez! Allez!" at people. He almost
seemed to be a good Samaritan telling people to get out of from the
cafes and go inside. As that happened I saw another shot and I saw
someone collapse to the floor outside the Bataclan."
'IT'S WAR HERE'
An unnamed witness who was in the standing area at the Bataclan rock
concert and encountered a gunman before fleeing was quoted by
Liberation.
"It was a concert where the music was loud. I heard the shots, I
turned around and I saw a silhouette with a cap who stood near the back
door. He fired in my direction.
"People began to drop and throw themselves to the ground. I thought that the guy next to me was dead. I think this is the case.
"I ran, I jumped the barrier and left with the first wave of the
crowd near the stage. I went out through the emergency exit at the
opposite end of the room.
"We hid in a cafe, barricaded on the first floor. When we told people
what had happened they believed us immediately. It's war here, there
were shots fired just a very short time ago.
"All we can hear are sirens, we are waiting to be evacuated from the Boulevard du Calvaire cafe."
