A female police employee has been fatally stabbed in a knife attack at a police station in Rambouillet, south-west of Paris.

The 36-year-old attacker, who reportedly came to France from Tunisia several years ago, was shot and later died in hospital.

The stabbing took place in the entrance on Friday afternoon and no motive has yet been given for the attack.

The 48-year-old unarmed administrative officer was stabbed in the neck.

She was returning from her break at 14:20 (12:20 GMT) when the man barged into the police station, according to local reports.

He lunged at the officer and her colleagues then opened fire on him.

Prime Minister Jean Castex and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin went straight to the scene, in the large Yvelines area to the the west of the capital. “The republic has lost one of its everyday heroes in a barbaric act of unlimited cowardice,” Mr Castex tweeted.

Police appealed to the public not to share rumours. Officials said the man was unknown to intelligence service and the stabbing was not being investigated at this stage by the anti-terror prosecutor.

Witnesses said the man had been seen walking around while on his mobile phone outside the police station and seized his chance to go in as the woman went through the security doors.

Source: National News Agency