Police attacker in western France arrested after fire exchange

PARIS -- The knife attacker who ran away after stabbing a policewoman on Friday morning in a town in western France has been arrested, announced French Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin.

"The gendarmes neutralized the individual suspected of stabbing the municipal policewoman in Chapelle-sur-Erdre. Thanks to them and thoughts for the gendarmes injured during this arrest," Darmanin tweeted.

The attacker was arrested shortly after 1 p.m (1100 GMT) after exchanging fires with gendarmes who sought after him. Two gendarmes were wounded by shots, according to BFM television.

At around 10 am local time, the attacker entered the commune police station of La Chapelle-sur-Erdre in Loire-Atlantique and stabbed the policewoman several times before running away. The policewoman suffered serious wounds in the legs.