France Again.. Priest Shot, Police Investigates

A Greek Orthodox priest was shot Saturday while he was closing his church in the French city of Lyon. As a result security authorities locked down part of the city to hunt for the assailant, AP quoted authorities.

A police official told The Associated Press that the priest, a Greek citizen, is in a local hospital with life-threatening injuries after being shot twice in the abdomen.

"The attacker was alone and fired from a hunting rifle," said the official.

Following the incident, police cordoned off the largely residential neighborhood around the church and warned the public on social networks to stay away.

Earlier, a national police tweeted that “a serious public security incident” was under way.

France has recently seen social tensions rising following the incident when history teacher, who presented an insulting cartoon for Muslims, was killed  by a young extremist person, while French President Immanuel harshly defended what he said was a 'right of expression', disregarding the cultural particularities of Muslim communities.

Macron has stirred, in return, an outrage among Muslim world.