The man, born in 1984 in Sudan, had no criminal record, they said, adding that two investigations had been launched over the man’s action and the police response.

He brandished a meat cleaver at a tram stop in eastern Paris.

When police arrived on the scene, the man refused to drop the cleaver and proceeded towards the police, prosecutors said.

According to first reports, four police officers fired their pistols a total of about 20 times, they said, adding that none of the police on the scene were injured.

The four who opened fire had been taken to hospital in a state of “shock”, the prosecutors said.