A hostage situation has reportedly erupted in the northern French town of Roubaix, close to the Belgian border, with medical services reporting several gunshot wounds.
According to Reuters, police have been deployed after reports of gunshots began at 7 PM on Tuesday evening.
"An operation is underway after hostages were taken," a police source told Reuters. "Gunshots were fired and the neighborhood has been cordoned off."
"A bank director and his family may have been taken as hostages," the source added. Children are also reportedly among the hostages.
RTL reports that the situation began after the suspects were stopped at a security checkpoint, while other outlets suggest it may have begun as a robbery. There are also conflicting reports about where exactly in Roubaix the incident is taking place. Some suggest the gunmen are holed up in an apartment, while others report the incident is taking place inside a gas station.
It remains unclear if the incident is related to the Paris attacks of November 13, though French media are suggesting that the incidents are not linked. France 2 TV has suggested that it could have been a robbery gone wrong.
The town is located approximately one hour west of Brussels.
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