The standoffs started this morning, when police cornered Said and Chérif Kouachi, who were suspected of killing 12 people in the Charlie Hebdo attack, at a print shop in the small town of Dammartin-en-Goele.
Separately, in eastern Paris, a gunman, named by multiple media outlets as Amedy Coulibaly, entered a kosher shop and reportedly took at least one person hostage.
A little after 11 a.m. ET, and as the sun began to set in France, explosions at both locations were heard by reporters at the scene.
NPR's Lauren Frayer reported that French television showed what appeared to be civilians streaming out of the kosher grocery store, and television images showed a large explosion at the print shop in Dammartin-en-Goele. That was followed by smoke billowing from the building.
The AFP reported that when police stormed the print shop, the Kouachi brothers came out firing and were killed during the confrontation. The authorities say Coulibaly was killed during the siege of the kosher market.
NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports that police were first tipped off to the Kouachi brothers when a resident reported a stolen car in the small village of Dammartin-en-Goele, 25 miles northeast of Paris. The caller recognized the brothers and told police that they were heavily armed.
Police moved in and surrounded the print shop, located in an industrial center not far from the Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris. For hours, special tactical units kept watch, while helicopters swooped overhead.
As that was unfolding, another gunman walked into the kosher shop in eastern Paris, reportedly taking a handful of hostages.
Eleanor reported that the series of events left the city — already reeling from its worst terrorist attack in more than 50 years — in a state of shock. Police cordoned off parts of Paris, and officers in tactical gear and with big guns walked through the streets as sirens sounded everywhere.
Police also released a poster naming Coulibaly and a 26-year-old woman, Hayat Boumeddiene, as suspects in a shooting that left a policewoman dead on Thursday. Multiple reports connected Coulibaly to the Kouachi brothers. There is still no word on the whereabouts of Boumeddiene.
Around 11:30 a.m. ET, local media reported the siege was over. In total, since the mass shooting at Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday, 17 people have been killed in France.
Hours after the standoffs ended, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula released a statement threatening France with more violence; the AP says that the group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack.
Hollande said the country knows that the threat is not "yet over."
He called for vigilance and extra security; he said the country should reject any racist attacks like the "anti-Semitic act" committed today. He also said that the suspects killed today "have nothing to do with Islam."
"We must show our determination against anything that may divide us," Hollande said.
This is a breaking news story. As often happens in situations like these, some information reported early may turn out to be inaccurate. We'll move quickly to correct the record and we'll only point to the best information we have at the time. Refresh this page for the latest.
