NEW YORK CITY — The NYPD dispatched counterterrorism forces to crowded areas around New York City Friday night after a series of coordinated terror attacks in Paris killed dozens.
Densely populated areas in New York City were monitored by units from the Counterterrorism Response Command, Critical Response Group and Hercules Teams, according to the NYPD.
The counterterrorism units were deployed in response to the terror attacks in the French capital, the NYPD wrote in a statement, although it stressed that "there is no known indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City" and that the security measures were taken "out of an abundance of caution."
Extra security deployments were made to French government locations in the city immediately after the attacks, police said.
Detectives from the NYPD Intelligence Bureau also assisted Paris police, police added.
The Associated Press reported that French security forces killed two attackers in a seige on the concert hall Bataclan, where at least 100 people were reportedly killed after being taken hostage. A Paris police official described the "carnage" inside the theater after the attackers were believed to have tossed explosives into the crowd.
The AP also reported that 11 of the dead were shot at a restaurant in the city's 10th arrondissement.
Two explosions were reported outside a football stadium north of Paris, where on Friday evening the national soccer teams of France and Germany faced off in a friendly game.
Confused soccer fans could be seen crowding the pitch in videos posted to Twitter.
Inside the Stade de France. Unbelievable RT @v_menichini: Hélicoptère, pelouse envahie, scènes surréalistes. pic.twitter.com/6JUt4taNS0
— Leo Tweetstoy (@_Symonds_) November 13, 2015In a statement Friday evening, Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed his condolences for the victims of the attacks in Paris.
“The people of New York City are heartbroken to see our sister city of Paris shaken again by these thoughtless acts of violence, and we stand in solidarity with the residents of Paris and with Mayor Hidalgo during this tragic time," de Blasio said in the statement.
"NYPD is in close contact with our international liaison in Paris and the local authorities and are closely monitoring the situation," the mayor added.
In January, 12 people were killed in a shooting at the Paris editorial offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. After that event, de Blasio traveled to Paris, where he compared the attack to 9/11.
