Bloodshed had always been feared ahead of Sunday's first round of voting after a string of jihadist atrocities since 2015, and shooting on the world-renowned boulevard forced security to the top of the agenda in the campaign. "Will have a big effect on presidential election!" he said, breaking a silence over Sunday's vote in a tweet. A police document obtained by The Associated Press identifies the address searched in the town of Chelles as the family home of Karim Cheurfi, a 39-year-old with a criminal record.
Trump's barely concealed endorsement of Le Pen - who wants to deport or prosecute more than 10,000 people on a terrorism watchlist and take France out of the European Union - comes one day after his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, tried to boost the chances of the centrist, pro-European candidate, Emmanuel Macron, with a friendly phone call trumpeted by Macron's campaign.
The extremist group gave a pseudonym for the gunman, Abu Yusuf al-Beljiki, indicating he was Belgian or had lived in Belgium, although Belgian authorities said they had no information about the suspect.
The police officials were not authorized to be publicly named discussing the ongoing investigation.
Police shot and killed the gunman after he opened fire on a police van on Paris' most famous boulevard.
Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told BFM television that a man stepped from a auto and opened fire on a police vehicle.
Heightened securityMasked police stand on top of their vehicle on the Champs Elysees Avenue after a shooting incident in Paris, France.
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A short time later, witnesses began calling 911 to reports shots fired at the corner of McMillan Street and McMicken Avenue. There were eight bullet holes in the auto , according to police, the newspaper reported.
The gunfire sent scores of tourists fleeing into side streets. "They can not bear the political life led by the elites".
"We would like to express our condolences to the friendly French nation and the French police department with whom we are in solidarity on this hard day", it said, adding Turkey would continue to support France in the fight against terrorism.
"The Prime Minister has tonight passed on her condolences to President Hollande".
U.S. President Donald Trump predicted the attack in Paris "will have a big effect" on the French presidential election that begins this weekend, without naming which candidates he believed would benefit.
French police arrested three people overnight following the shooting, local media reported Friday.
Conservative contender Francois Fillon said on France 2 television he was canceling his planned campaign stops on Friday.
Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who campaigns against immigration and Islamic fundamentalism, took to Twitter to offer her sympathy for law enforcement officers "once again targeted". The top two vote-getters are expected to proceed to a second ballot in May.
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