Paris Attacks: Terror in Paradise

Paris+the+night+after+the+attacks.

Photo per CC: www.flickr.com/photos/garryknight

Paris the night after the attacks.

Sara Gomez '17, News Editor

Paris, France. November 13, 2015

A beautiful fall evening in Paris. Heaven. Serenity was broken by multiple explosions throughout the city. A series of six explosions rocked the quiet night air; the Bataclan theatre was the main point of terror and confusion and horrific after tales of blood and waiting. The body count is at 130 and counting.

Blasts were reported just outside their stadium, as France played Germany in a friendly soccer match. Innocent victims were targeted, shot, and killed outside Parisian restaurants as they ate dinner with their loved ones.

At the Bataclan theatre, The Eagles of Death Metal were performing for thousands of fans; gunfire was thought to be part of the show and then realization hit. It cracked through the atmosphere. The Bataclan has a capacity of 1,500 guests, but this night they were over the limit. Six gunmen opened fire on random bystanders. As the crowd tried escaping, the terrorists would reload their AK’s and continue their onslaught. After what appeared as an eternity, French SWAT and police forces stormed in to rescue the hostages. Most of the extremist were wearing suicide vests, and denoted themselves as such.

At the end of the carnage, French authorities are currently in search of a suspect. Salah Abdeslam is currently on the run; he is suspected of participating in the attacks.
Being known as the city of lights, Paris now turned their monument lights off in mourning. Other countries have turned theirs on in support of this great city.