VERSAILLES, France (AFP, REUTERS) - A man in his sixties opened fire on shoppers outside a supermarket near Paris on Monday (Sept 26), severely injuring two people before fleeing the scene, police sources said.

Police surrounded the home of the attacker, where he holed up after shooting a 57-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man in what prosecutors called a "private dispute".

The shooter was already known to police for common law offences.

The incident happened near a supermarket in Port-Marly, about 20km or so west of Paris.

"He went home and the RAID (elite police unit) is readying for negotiations with him," said the spokeswoman.