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Hollande unfazed by accidental police gunfire during speech

ASSOCIATED PRESS

French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech as he visits the Disneyland Paris theme parks in Marne-la-Vallee, north of Paris, Saturday.

PARIS >> French President Francois Hollande was unfazed Tuesday when his speech to inaugurate a new railway line was interrupted by an elite police marksman accidentally opening fire.

Hollande was detailing the history of the Paris-Bordeaux high-speed rail project when what sounded like a rifle shot rang out.

Video from the scene showed him pausing and looking up, saying, “I hope it’s nothing serious.”

After looking off to the side, seemingly for confirmation, for a moment, he added, “I think not,” and continued speaking about the railway line.

The head of the local administration later told reporters that an elite marksman positioned on a roof nearby had fired by accident, causing minor injuries in the legs of two people.

Hollande had spoken with the victims after ending his speech as scheduled, prefect Pierre N’Gahane said.

France has been on high alert for terrorist incidents since deadly attacks claimed by the Islamic State extremist group over the last two years in Paris and Nice, among others, cost 238 people their lives.

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