All 17 students and a faculty member in Paris on a BYU study abroad program have been accounted for and are safe following Friday’s terrorist attacks, according to BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins.
None of the BYU study abroad housing is near the locations targeted by terrorist attacks. Jenkins said the students were set to return home at the end of this month, but they “will evaluate the situation” and determine if the study abroad will end earlier.
This unexpected terrorist attack lead to massive casualties throughout the city. The official count, once estimated at 153 deaths has been finalized as 129 dead, 352 wounded and 99 in critical condition. The targets of the attack were Le Petit Cambodge restaurant, Le Carillon restaurant, La Belle Equipe restaurant, a bar near the Stade de France stadium, the Bataclan theater and at least one other location. The restaurants were targeted by gunfire and the Stadium was targeted by suicide bombers.
The Bataclan theater, hosting the band “The Eagles of Death Metal,” began as a hostage situation and quickly escalated leaving at least 100 people dead. French President François Hollande declared a state of emergency and closed the country’s borders, according to the Associated Press. Officials also believe all of terrorists responsible for the attack are dead.
AP News reported the Le Carillion restaurant is in the same area as the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which was the target of Islamic extremists in January.
