A police officer has been seriously wounded by an attacker armed with a knife in central Paris. Security is tight in the French capital, as the Paris Olympics start on Friday of next week.

The police in Paris say on Thursday night they received reports that a man holding a knife was in a store near the Champs-Elysees avenue. They say police officers rushed to the scene, and that the man ran out of the store.

The police say the officers pursued the man, but that he confronted them with the knife. He reportedly stabbed one officer, but was shot by another officer. Local media outlets indicate that the assailant died later.

Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told reporters that the attacker was a 27-year-old foreign national. The chief explained that at this point the incident does not appear to be linked to terrorism.

A nearby resident said that the attack may have made some people anxious, as there are many tourists in the city. He said he hopes the Olympics will start without any trouble.