French police said late on Tuesday evening they had shot a man outside the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, after he tried to attack a police officer using a hammer, BBC reported. One officer also sustained minor injuries.

The man is believed to have attacked a patrol of three policemen with a hammer, reported Daily Mail. The assailant, who has not been identified yet, was injured after one of the officers responded with two gunshots. Police said the man refused to stop threatening them with the hammer. The motive behind the attack is still unknown.

The police has asked the public to stay away from the Notre Dame Cathedral, added The Independent. Photos on social media showed people inside the cathedral with their hands in the air.

France has been in a state of emergency ever since the 2015 terrorist attacks in which 130 people died.