US student killed in Paris attacks

Washington; A US student from California was killed in the Paris attacks, her university said today.

It was the first word of an American being among the victims of the last night massacre.

The State Department said separately that some Americans were wounded in the terrorist onslaught but it did not specify how many.

The student killed in the string of shootings and explosions was identified as Nohemi Gonzalez, a third-year design student at California State University, Long Beach.

She was in Paris doing a semester abroad, studying at Strate College of Design, the university said. The State Department said it could not immediately confirm the death.

The university said details of how Gonzalez died were not yet available.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this sad time," said Jane Close Conoley, the California university's president.
"Our university stands with our nearly 80 foreign exchange students from France as they struggle with this tragedy," she added.

A vigil to mourn Gonzalez and other victims of the attack is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

The State Department said the United States is working closely to identify Americans who were among those wounded in Paris.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter spoke by telephone Saturday to express his condolences to his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian.

"The US and France maintain a close relationship in countering terrorism around the world including direct action in North Africa, Syria and Iraq," the Pentagon said.

"Secretary Carter reiterated the United States commitment to stand by our oldest ally in taking additional steps to respond to these barbaric attacks," it added.