Charlie Hedbo, a French satirical newspaper, was attacked by masked gunmen suspected to be a part of a large terrorist organization. The gunmen entered the newspapers office in 10 Rue Nicolas-Appert, Paris armed with what appears to be AK-47 rifles, shotgun and rocket propelled grenade. The horrific attack left 12 people dead including the four of the newspapers most prominent cartoonist, it was reported that this is the deadliest terrorist attack on French soil since the train bombing that left 28 people dead last June 18, 1961.

Based on police investigations, the gunmen who were armed by automatic weapons entered the building shouting "Allahu Akbar" and went on firing from different directions, evidence left on the scene of the crime shows that more than 50 shot were fired in a spree that lasted more than five minutes. According to witnesses' reports, the attackers asked the staff who are in a meeting their name and upon identifying their target executed each one of them with a single shot to the head.

After the gunmen were done with the massacre on the Hebdo office, they ran down the streets and exchange fire with a policeman who was then shot, one of the attackers confronted the office and asked in speaking in French, "Did you want to kill me?" to which the policeman replied "No, it's good, chief", the officer then raised his hands as a gesture of surrender when the gunman, without remorse, shot the officer in the head at close range. Based on video evidence gather by the authorities, the two gunmen fled the scene while shouting in French "We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad. We have killed Charlie Hedbo!"

Hours after the attack, the French police released the identity of the attackers. They were Said Kouachi and his brother Cherif Kouachi, Franco-Algerian brothers reported to be leaving in Gennevilliers. The third attacker was identified as Hamyd Mourad, an 18 year old homeless man, no additional information was provided by the French police.