Police confirm four dead in Paris market siege

At least four people, including the attacker, have died at a kosher grocery store in Paris where a gunman took several hostages, police officials said.

#CharlieHebdo latest reports:
- 3 gunmen killed
- 4 hostages dead; at least 4 critically injured
- Police searching for gunman's girlfriend

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) January 9, 2015

Earlier, the BBC reported that a woman who was held hostage while shopping in the store had told a relative by phone that there were more than two people killed there - in fact she had said there were five people dead.

Four critically wounded in Paris supermarket hostage drama. Photo: Thomas Samson #AFP #Vincennes pic.twitter.com/odIjFetRZd

— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) January 9, 2015

Some hostages from the supermarket could be seen being led to safety.

Several hostages freed at Jewish supermarket in Paris. Photo Thomas Samson #AFP pic.twitter.com/C9ltgMT0Wl

— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) January 9, 2015

It was not clear exactly how many hostages had been at the store or how many were freed.

At least 10 hostages escaped the #Paris grocery siege, police union spokesman says. Hostage-taker was killed. http://t.co/7Bxdhozq4H

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 9, 2015

Police officers were thought to be among those hurt, although their conditions were unclear.

Update - French media report second gunman in kosher grocery in eastern #Paris was unknown male and has escaped as hostage situation ends

— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) January 9, 2015

Minutes earlier, French police stormed a printing plant north of Paris, freeing a hostage and killing two brothers linked to al Qaida who were suspected of murdering 12 people at a Paris newspaper two days ago.

Explosions and gunshots rang out and white smoke rose outside a printing plant in Dammartin-en-Goele, north east of Paris, where brothers Cherif Kouachi, 32, and Said Kouachi, 34, had holed up with a hostage.

#BREAKING Charlie Hebdo gunman told French TV he was sent and financed by Al Qaeda

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 9, 2015

Security forces had surrounded the building for most of the day. After the explosions, police Swat forces could be seen on the roof of the building and one police helicopter landed near it.

#CharlieHebdo suspects killed, hostage freed and safe after police assault. Photo Joel Saget #AFP pic.twitter.com/AW5E6KEuzy

— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) January 9, 2015

Minutes before the storming, a gunman in a Paris kosher grocery store had threatened to kill hostages if French authorities launched an assault on the two brothers, a police official said.

Police forces then stormed the Paris kosher grocery.

The moment police stormed the Kosher delicatessen in east #Paris pic.twitter.com/PUpqYoGYns

— Harry Fear (@harryfear) January 9, 2015

Police at supermarket siege in eastern Paris shout ``get down!'' and ``we've got him'' amid gunfire exchanges, BFM-TV reports.

Some hostages from the supermarket could be seen being led to safety. They walked hurriedly and with arms around each other as they made their way to safety.

Several hostages freed at Jewish supermarket in Paris including a child (R). Photo Thomas Samson #AFP pic.twitter.com/b6ikL2BYyy

— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) January 9, 2015

French President Francois Hollande will address the nation at 7pm.

UPDATE AT 7.15:

An Israeli government official said 15 hostages were rescued from the kosher grocery.

The official, recounting a conversation between prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the French president, said four hostages were killed and 15 freed.

French president Francois Hollande, speaking shortly afterwards in a national address, confirmed the four deaths.