France hostage situation: Armed teenager releases four people during standoff with police

Hostage-taker has refused to surrender to security forces in southern town of Blagnac

A teenager released four women after holding them hostage in a convenience store near Toulouse in southern France for more than four hours on Tuesday, according to police.

The 17-year-old, who was arrested at a yellow vest protest in December, had made no demands before releasing the women from the building in Blagnac, a police source told Reuters.

He fired at least one shot over the heads of officers and had demanded a negotiator, the source said, adding that the incident did not appear to be terrorism-related.

The teen, who seized the hostages around 4.20pm, has not yet surrendered to authorities. According to France 3 Occitanie, the teenager is wearing a helmet and carrying a GoPro camera.

Officers from the elite RAID (Search Assistance Intervention Deterrence) police unit have been called to the scene to assist local officers.

Regional police chief Etienne Guyot (l), and Toulouse's public prosecutor Dominique Alzeari talk to the press in Blagnac during standoff (AFP/Getty Images)

Earlier, a police source told reporters the incident appeared to be a botched armed robbery.

“A security perimeter has been placed around the scene and people are being asked to avoid the area ... he should not be approached under any circumstances,” said a local police spokesman.

Officials have asked residents who inside a 300m security perimeter to remain at home, while those who wish to return to their homes inside the area will have to wait.

Shopkeepers located near the convenience store were also told not to leave their premises. Police evacuated some buildings in the area, while a police helicopter circled overhead.

“It’s worrying. It all happened so quickly,” said local resident Robert Texier, describing the area as a quiet neighbourhood on the banks of the Garonne River.

He said the convenience store has been run for decades by a woman and her daughter who live in the adjacent building.

Additional reporting by agencies