An armed man suspected of setting fire to a synagogue is shot dead by French police.

On Friday, a man with weapons was suspected of burning down a synagogue in northwestern France and was subsequently killed by police.

Early Friday morning, officers in Rouen received an alert about smoke rising from a synagogue in the city. Upon arrival, they encountered an unidentified man wielding a knife and a metal bar.

One of the officers shot and killed a man who allegedly lunged toward them with his weapons while leaving the synagogue, according to the national police information service.

The man who scaled the synagogue in Rouen hurled a Molotov cocktail into the main prayer room, causing a fire and substantial harm. Despite this, no one was injured in the incident.

"The Jewish community being attacked is an attack on the national community, France, and all French citizens, as it is a fright for the whole nation, he stated."

Officers were commended by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin for their quick action in neutralizing the threat.

This morning, national police officers in Rouen neutralized an armed individual who appeared intent on setting fire to the city's synagogue. I commend their quick thinking and bravery.

The AP reports that investigators in Rouen are probing the events leading to the synagogue fire and the death of the man shot by police.

Following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel, there has been a rise in antisemitic acts and anti-Israel protests in France, which has the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in western Europe.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.