Strasbourg gunman Cherif Chekatt shot dead by police

The man who attacked a Christmas market in Strasbourg, killing three people and injuring dozens more, has been shot dead by French police.

The man has been identified as 29-year-old Cherif Chekatt, who the BBC says “had a string of criminal convictions in France and Germany and had become a radical Islamist in jail”.

Chekatt was found by police on Rue du Lazaret, in the Neudorf area of Strasbourg around 9pm local time, where he opened fire on the officers attempting to stop him.

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“When the individual turned and shot at the police, they immediately returned fire and neutralised the assailant,” French interior minister, Christophe Castaner said.

Chekatt’s death brings to an end a massive manhunt involving hundreds of police officers, following the deadly shooting.

Strasbourg’s mayor, Roland Ries, told reporters: “I think it will help to get back to a life that I would describe as normal. With the death of this terrorist... citizens, like me, are relieved.”

The Guardian reports that police went to Chekatt’s residence to “arrest him in connection with an armed robbery and attempted murder”, just hours before he attacked the Christmas market with a gun and a knife.

Police reportedly found a stun grenade, a rifle and several hunting knives inside the attacker’s home, prior to the attack that has left three people fighting for their lives in hospital.