A day after killing the alleged assailant in a bloody Christmas market shooting in eastern France, police are searching for other potential suspects. The Islamic State group, without providing evidence, claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack that killed at least three people, wounded more than a dozen others and left a country on edge.
Public prosecutor Remy Heitz on Friday detailed the two-day manhunt that led to police shooting dead Cherif Chekatt, in the Strasbourg neighborhood where he grew up.
Heitz said two local witnesses tipped off police after seeing a man who matched a widely circulated description of Chekatt during a manhunt that included nearby Germany.
He said around 9 p.m. local time Thursday, a police patrol spotted a man trying to enter a building, and identified themselves. The man turned around and opened fire, at which point police responded, killing him.
Heitz said the terrorist investigation continues to identify possible suspects in Tuesday's Christmas market shooting. He added that police have detained more than half-a-dozen people for questioning, including four members of Chekatt's family.
The Islamic State group said Chekatt was one of its so-called "soldiers." But visiting the newly reopened market Friday, French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner dismissed the claim as totally opportunistic, saying Chekatt nourished evil within himself.
A Strasbourg native with Moroccan roots, Chekatt had an extensive criminal record that stretched to Germany and Switzerland, and multiple prison sentences. He had been on a French watchlist for suspected Islamist views.
Strasbourg's businesses have taken a major hit. Many locals said they were relieved Chekatt had been killed. One woman told French radio she had been haunted by fears of him still hiding and ready to strike, but that the burden has been lifted.
The police have been hailed as heroes for tracking down Chekatt as swiftly as they did. But their representatives say officers are exhausted after also dealing with multiple French anti-government protests in recent weeks. Some of the demonstrators say they'll be back on the streets to protest government reforms and the high cost of living.
