The newspaper Le Parisien and broadcaster BFMTV, who say they rely on information from the police, report that the officers wanted to stop and check the car on the Pont Neuf bridge on Sunday evening, because it was driving against traffic. When the car ignored the police stop signs and headed straight for them at high speed, they felt compelled to open fire.
There is as yet no indication that there is a connection between the incident and the presidential elections that were held in France on Sunday. After the results of those elections, people took to the streets in several cities in the country, including Paris.