[BREAKING NEWS]: 'Charlie Hebdo': Gun Attack On French Newspaper Reaches A Death Toll Of 12, Including Editor-In-Chief Stephane Charbonnier [VIDEO]

MStars News has BREAKING NEWS regarding the terrorist attack in Paris, France, Wednesday, Jan. 7.

According to CNN, at least three gunmen have shot and killed 12 people at the Paris office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in an apparent terrorist attack.

BBC News reports that four of the magazine's popular cartoonists, including its editor-in-chief, are listed among the dead, including two police officers.

The three gunmen were last seen fleeing the scene by car.

French President Francois Hollande has claimed that the shooting today was a terrorist attack "of exceptional barbarity."

"We will find the people who did this," Hollande told NBC News. "France is today shocked by this terrorist attack."

The masked shooters opened fire with assault rifles in the office and were met with shots fired back by police, who were outside the building as they ran away toward a vehicle.

Impacts d un fusil type kalachnikov @Charlie_Hebdo_ pic.twitter.com/0QLG30C8Fl

— Julien Rebucci (@julienrbcc) January 7, 2015

The car has been discovered, but the vehicle was empty, as the attackers escaped in Rue de Meaux, in northern Paris. Witnesses claim the gunmen spoke French and said: "We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad." French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has confirmed that the hunt is on for three "criminals."

The Charlie Hebdo editor, who was allegedly killed Wednesday, Stephane Charbonnier, 47, previously received death threats before the attack. Charbonnier was living under the protection of police. French media have reported that the other three popular cartoonists killed were Cabu, Tignous and Wolinski. The shooting attack happened as the magazine's daily editorial meeting was underway.

CNN claims the satire journalists were targeted, so this was not a random act for covering and poking fun at apparent militant Islamists.

CNN also claims that the editor-in-chief once said something along the lines, "We are not the terrorist, we just operate with our pins." The magazine tweeted this image right before the attack:

Meilleurs vœux, au fait. pic.twitter.com/a2JOhqJZJM — Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) January 7, 2015