Americans in France urged to remain vigilant
The U.S. government urged Americans in Paris to maintain "a high level vigilance" in the wake of terror attacks that left at least 129 dead, including at least one American.
California State University in Long Beach said Saturday that student Nohemi Gonzalez of El Monte, Calif., was killed in the attacks, which took place at multiple sites in the city late Friday. Gonzalez was an exchange student attending a design school in Paris, the college said in a statement.
The State Department confirmed that an American had been killed and "several" other U.S. residents had been injured or wounded in the attacks. One of the injured is U.S. expatriate Helen Jane Wilson, who suffered a gunshot wound to her leg during the attack on the Bataclan concert hall, where more than 80 died, according to the Associated Press.
"It's just so scary," said Meg Gagnard, 25, a Denver resident who was in the French capital when the attacks occurred. "Paris is small so it felt like no matter where you are you were close to one of the series of shootings."
In a travel advisory Saturday, the State Department encouraged Americans to "bolster their personal security" and limit their movements to "essential activity." U.S. citizens were informed about the steps France has taken in the wake of coordinated attacks: declaring a state of emergency and controlling border access. They were also urged to let their loved ones know their whereabouts and if they were OK.
It's unclear how many Americans were in the city at the time of the attack. Meryl and Jason Lefkowitz were there celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. The couple from Chappaqua, N.Y., were in a cafe when they first heard sirens. The learned later from text messages from friends about the magnitude of what was happening.
"We were in a city where we didn't speak the language," said Meryl Lejkowitz. "We heard the city was on lockdown — we were worried we wouldn't be able to get out."
They finally managed to catch a delayed train to London later.
Brynne Clark, of Mississippi, flew to Paris for the weekend and wound up hunkered down in a private club as violence broke out in the city. Hours later, as she and her friends walked back to their hotel, the streets were empty and silent. "So eerie," she said in a Facebook message to The Clarion-Ledger. "Not a soul outside."
Washington, D.C., resident Sam Nitz, 34, a Wisconsin native was visiting Paris for the first time. He was strolling the streets when he saw police cars racing by. A short time later, he learned of the attacks and let his friends and family know he was OK. On Saturday, he was contemplating changes to his vacation plans.
With key cultural sites closed in the wake of the violence, he set out to enjoy merely walking through the city. "My mood is good, but cautious ... Many things that are great about Paris are open — shops, parks, cafes," Nitz, a targeting and analytics director at EMILY's List, said in an e-mail. "People are out and about."
The State Department cautioned Americans that airports and train stations remained open, but delays could be expected.
"I am saddened by these attacks and fear more may come in the future," Nicole Pizzorni, an Italian-American student at the American University in Paris, told Paste BN. "We need to hope for better things to come."
The State Department urged those concerned about a U.S. citizen in Paris to call 1-888-407-4747 in the U.S. or 202-501-4444 overseas for assistance.
Contributing: Aida Alami in Paris and Jane Lerner of The Journal News (Westchester, N.Y.)