French police last night overpowered a man who had taken three shop assistants hostage in a luxury Paris boutique for several hours.
"The individual was overpowered outside the shop and the three hostages are well," a police spokeswoman said.
Armed with a knife, the man had entered the Sonia Rykiel shop on the chic Rue Faubourg Saint Honore street in the afternoon and held the shop assistants hostage.
The shop is located close to Nicolas Sarkozy 's presidential palace and the interior ministry.
One of the hostages had told journalists by phone that the man had said he was a victim of the justice system.
Police did not give any further details.
