A large-scale manhunt has been launched in France for a suspected extremist gunman who shot at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, killing three people and injuring at least 12, reported the Independent.

Authorities have launched a terror investigation, with Interior Minister Christophe Castaner saying 350 officers are hunting for the man, who was already known to the country’s intelligence services as a potential security risk.

The French government raised its security alert system Vigipirate to its highest level, “Emergency Attack”, triggering stricter border controls and reinforced security at all Christmas markets to avoid the risk of copycat attacks.

The suspected attacker has been named by police as Chérif Chekatt, a 29-year-old born in Strasbourg who has served time in prison in France and Germany for common law offences, and was reportedly known to be part of radicalised networks in Strasbourg and considered a “repeat offender” and a “delinquent”.