The man who killed one person in central Paris on Saturday was a French citizen born in Chechnya and has been on intelligence services watch-list, local media reported.

The attacker had shouted Islamic slogans when attacking passers-by with a knife in downtown Opera district, a popular tourists area and very crowded, especially on weekends.

A 29-year-old man was killed in the attack claimed by the Islamic State. Four other people were injured, but out of danger.

Citing judicial sources, BFMTV news channel said that the knifeman was born in 1997 in Chechnya, had no criminal record, but was on police watch-list for links with a person in Syria.

The 21-year-old's parents are being questioned by the police.

A man with a knife randomly attacked bystanders on Saturday night in the Opera district of central Paris. The site was about 400 meters away from the Paris Opera House, Paris prefecture confirmed.

The knife attacker killed one person, wounded four others, and was shot dead by police.

"France pays once again the price of blood but does not give an inch to the enemies of freedom," French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Saturday night, praising police officers for "neutralizing the terrorist."