French president to meet relatives of victims of Christmas market shooting
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Strasbourg Friday evening to pay his respects to the victims of a jihadist gunman who was himself later shot dead by police. Macron, who earlier in the day took part in a European Union summit in Brussels, was to meet with families of the victims and with police involved in the manhunt for 29-year-old Cherif Chekatt, a small-time criminal turned jihadist who went on a shooting spray Tuesday evening in Strasbourg's famed Christmas market. Chekatt, who was born in this eastern French city, killed four and wounded 12 before going to ground for 48 hours in his home district. Police finally caught up with him Thursday evening when he was killed after opening fire on a street police patrol. His victims were a Thai tourist, on holiday in Strasbourg with his wife, an Afghan who sought refuge in France some 20 years ago, a 28-year-old Italian journalist in town to cover the European parliament, and a local Frenchman who had just retired. A fifth victim has been declared brain-dead. While in Strasbourg Macron also visited the Christmas market, which reopened Friday morning after being closed for two days. He placed a white rose on the Kleber monument, in the centre of town, where locals have been placing flowers and lighting candles since Tuesday's deadly attack. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner accompanied Macron to Strasbourg.
