Identities and final moment of those killed in Paris attacks emerge

Three co-ordinated teams of gunmen struck at six different sites across Paris on Friday night in a bloody wave of suicide bombings and shootings that left 129 people dead. A further 352 people were injured, over 99 are in a critical condition.

In the chaos that followed, friends and family took to social media to search for their missing loved ones.

Citizens of at least 15 countries are among the dead, and below are just some of those identified.

The deadliest single attack occurred at the Bataclan concert venue, where gunmen opened fire on a crowd watching US band Eagles of Death Metal perform, massacring at least 89.

Elodie Breuil (23), France

Breuil had attended the Eagles of Death Metal concert with a group of friends. One, speaking anonymously to Time magazine, said he became separated from her and the others when the shooting began. He ran for the exit with another man who had been nearby, but that man was shot and he fell. Once outside, Breuil’s friend reunited with some of the group, but Breuil and one other were missing.

“Can you imagine?” Breuil’s brother, Alexis, said. “One day you’re just a happy teenager, playing video games. The next you’re laying in a pool of blood with corpses all around you.”

Valentin Ribet (26), France

Ribet was a criminal lawyer at law firm Hogan Lovells, and graduate of the London School of Economics. He was killed at the Bataclan.

Ribet’s company described him as “a talented lawyer, extremely well liked, and a wonderful personality in the office”. It added: “This is an awful tragedy and hard for any of us to truly comprehend. We are shocked by both our loss and the wider events in the city.”

Nick Alexander (36), UK

Alexander had been selling merchandise for the Eagles of Death Metal.

His girlfriend, Polina Buckley, took to Twitter to search for him after news of the attack broke. “Someone please help me find my boyfriend Nick Alexander. Merch guy for EODM #ParisAttacks #Bataclan,” she wrote.

Alexander’s former girlfriend Helen Wilson was at the Bataclan with him and said they lay on the ground when the attackers started shooting. Wilson was injured in both legs, and Alexander was shot in front of her.

“His back was to me and I couldn’t see what happened and I tried to keep him talking and then I tried to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and they (the gunmen) were just sort of in the shadows and they would shoot if anyone said anything.

“Then he couldn’t breathe any more and I held him in my arms and told him I loved him. He was the love of my life.”

Nohemi Gonzales, US/Mexico

A US-Mexico dual nationality, NohemiGonzales had been studying in Paris on exchange from the California State University, Long Beach.

“Yesterday, one of our students and a dear friend to many classmates, Nohemi Gonzalez, was senselessly murdered by Isis cowards in Paris,” design department lecturer Michael LaForte said on Facebook. “Our hearts are with her close friends and family.”

LaForte also called the terrorists “spineless cowards [WHO]murder innocent people”.

Gonzalez’s last public post on Facebook said: “Learning a 3D modeling computer program in a language I don’t know is up there In the top 3 hardest things I’ve ever had to do. ?#?YouTubeIsMyBFF”

The director of the Strate School of Design said other international exchange students from the school were wounded in the attack.

Thomas Ayad (32), France

Ayad was a product manager for Universal Music France, from Amiens in the north of the country. He was killed at the Bataclan.

Lucian Grainge, chair of the Universal Music Group, wrote to staff to confirm the news of Ayad’s death:

Here is the full text of Grainge’s letter, as printed in the LA Times.

Dear Colleagues:

Today, I’m writing to you with a heavy heart.

We, like so many around the world, are struggling with last night’s horrific tragedy in France.

Paris is in our thoughts and prayers. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims as well as our fervent wishes for healing for all of those affected by this senseless violence.

This is especially painful and personal for all of us. As many of you know, the band Eagles of Death Metal is part of the UMe and Mercury France family. The band and its crew as well as our own teams from Mercury and other UMG staffs were present at the Bataclan theatre for last night’s show.

At this point, we have confirmed that Thomas Ayad, an international product manager for Mercury Records lost his life in the attack on the theater. This is an unspeakably appalling tragedy. I cannot even begin to express the depth of my sorrow. On behalf of everyone here at UMG, we extend our most profound sympathies to his parents and all of his friends and family.

We will update you further as information permits. In the meantime, please send all healing thoughts and prayers for those affected by this heinous act.

Today is a dark day. We are a family. Let’s support one another as we grapple with the weight of this darkness.

Sincerely,

Lucian

Marie and Manu, France

Another two employees of Universal Music France also died, the company’s president, Pascal Nègre, wrote on Twitter, giving their names as Marie and Manu.

Fabrice DuBois, France

DuBois was killed at the Bataclan, his employers at advertising agency Publicis Conseil have said.

“Our thoughts are with his family, his wife, his children, his friends, those with which he worked,” a statement said. “Fabrice will we miss you. We already miss you.”

Lola Salines, France

The father of French woman Salines, confirmed on Twitter the death of his daughter at the Bataclan.

Mathieu Hoche (38), France

Hoche was a technician at the France 24 news channel. He was a passionate rock’n’roll fan, a friend said, and his Facebook page noted he was going to the Eagles of Death Metal concert. A colleague at France 24 said Hoche had a six-year-old child.

Guillaume B. Decherf, 43, France

Decherf was a critic at a French culture magazine called Les Inrocks, had written about the band’s latest album for a recent issue and attended the concert. A father of two, he was one of those killed, the magazine said.

Aurélie De Peretti (33), France

The New York Times spoke to the sister of De Peretti, who learned on Saturday afternoon of De Peretti’s death.

At the Town Hall for the 11th Arrondissement in Paris, Delphine, 35, said the family had been trying to reach Aurélie all night. “They told us my sister was dead but they did not let us see her,” she said.

“I am like a robot. I don’t know what to do next. I have not watched the news or slept since last night.”

Delphine told the paper her sister was fond of music and culture and had loved to draw.

“My only concern right now is to be able to bring back her body and bring her with us to the south of France,” said Delphine.

Elsa DelPlace, France, and Patricia San Marti, 55, Chile

DelPlace, a French citizen, died with her mother, Patricia San Marti, at the Bataclan, according to reports. DelPlace was a graduate of the Institut d’Etudes Supérieures des Arts. A biography on her business website said she was a cellist with a degree in communications and cultural project management.

Chile’s foreign ministry said in a statement San Martin was the niece of Chile’s ambassador to Mexico.

Luis Felipe Zschoche Valle, Chile

The foreign ministry in Santiago also confirmed Valle as dead in the attacks. Valle was a professional musician who had lived in Paris with his French partner for almost 10 years. Her whereabouts were unknown.

Cedric Mauduit, France

Mauduit worked for the Calvados county council. Jean Léonce Dupont, the chairman of the department in which Mauduit worked, said Mauduit had gone to the Bataclan with five friends and became the target of “indiscriminate terrorism”.

“Our sadness is immense,” he said in a statement.

Asta Diakite, France

Diakite’s death in the attacks was confirmed by her cousin, the former Premier League midfielder Lassana Diarra who was reportedly part of the French team playing Germany on the night. “She was a support and a big sister to me,” he said.

Michelli Gil Jaimez (27), Mexico

Mexican officials identified one victim as Michelli Gil Jaimez, who they said came from the port city of Tuxpan in Veracruz.

Her Facebook page says Jaimez got engaged in late October.

“Family and friends, the Mexican embassy in France, confirmed to us that my cousin Michelli Gil Jaimez was one of those killed in the terrorist attack yesterday in the city of Paris, where she lived,” wrote Felix Jose Gil Herrera on Facebook.

Victims came from 15 countries:

Algeria: two Algerians were killed, the official APS news agency said, citing diplomatic sources as saying the victims were a woman aged 40 and a man named in media reports as Kheireddine Sahbi, a violinist studying at the Sorbonne.

Belgium: At least three Belgians including a dual French national were killed, according to the Belgian foreign ministry. One was reported to be Elif Dogan.

Brazil: two Brazilians were wounded in the attacks, president Dilma Rousseff said.

Britain: one Briton was killed, identified as Nick Alexander. The UK foreign office has said “a handful” were feared dead.

Chile: One man and a woman – the niece of Chile's ambassador to Mexico – were among the dead.

France: Among those confirmed to have lost their lives were Aurélie de Peretti (33); Guillaume Decherf (43); Djamila Houd (41); Thomas Ayad (34); Cedric Mauduit; Mathieu Hoche; Quentin Boulanger (29); Lola Salines; Caroline Prénat (24); Valentin Ribet; and Elodie Breuil (23). Most of them were at the Bataclan.

Mexico: two of its citizens lost their lives. One of the women, who holds dual citizenship with the US, is Nohemi Gonzalez. Michelle Gil Jaimez, who held Mexican and Spanish nationality, was also killed.

Morocco: one Moroccan has been killed and another injured, according to the embassy in France.

Portugal: two Portuguese nationals are reported to have died, according to the Lisbon government. A 63-year-old national who lived in Paris and worked in public transport was killed near the Stade de France, while the second victim, killed at the Bataclan, was a dual-national born in France in 1980.

Romania: two Romanians were killed, according to the foreign ministry in Bucharest.

Spain: Alberto Gonzalez Garrido (29) was killed while attending the concert at the Bataclan, Spanish authorities said.

Sweden: one person of Swedish nationality was wounded by gunfire and another was killed, according to the foreign ministry, which said it was still verifying the information.

Switzerland: reports that citizens were injured.

Tunisia: Two young Tunisians, sisters who lived in the French region of Creusot and who were celebrating a friend's birthday in Paris, were also killed, according to the Tunisian foreign ministry.

United States: Twenty-three-year old Nohemi Gonzalez, a student from California was killed in the attacks, her university said. (She held Mexican citizenship and was the second of two women identified by the Mexican government.) Other Americans are reported to be injured.

Guardian service