Remembering The Victims Of The Charlie Hebdo Attack

Editorial director of Charlie Hebdo and famous cartoonist Stephane Charbonnier, known simply as Charb, was one of victims of the attack at the newspaper's Paris office. He had been leading the weekly newspaper since 2012.

In 2011, after the newspaper was firebombed following the publication of a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammed, Charb told the Associated Press the attacks might have been carried out by "stupid people who don't know what Islam is."

He was included in al-Qaeda's most wanted list in 2013. According to French daily Le Monde, Charb had been under police protection since 2011.

After Charb received death threats in 2012, he was quoted as saying "I am not afraid of retaliations. I don't have kids. I don't have a wife, no car, no credit. It may seem pompous, but I'd rather die standing than live on my knees."

Jean Cabut, known as Cabu, was a beloved cartoonist in France whose first cartoons were published in 1954.

He contributed to Hara Kiri, a controversial satirical French magazine published in the 1960s. Hara Kiri was banned in 1970 following the death of Charles de Gaulle, and Charlie Hebdo was created soon after.

In 2006, Cabu drew a front-cover cartoon showing the Prophet Muhammad with the headline "Muhammad overwhelmed by fundamentalists." The newspaper was then sued by a number of Islamic organizations in France.

Georges Wolinski, 80, was known for his cartoons spoofing politics and sexuality.

Like Cabu, George Wolinski started drawing political cartoons for Hara Kiri in the 1960s.

Wolinski was born in Tunis, Tunisia, according to the Jewish Daily Forward. His father died when Wolinski was very young, and he said, "The ghost of my father has haunted me all my life," according to an excerpt from his wife's memoir Georges, si tu savais (George, if you only knew).

According to Le Monde, Wolinski used to joke: "I want to be incinerated. I told my wife: you'll throw my ashes in the toilet, this way I'll be able to see your butt everyday. "

The cartoon pokes fun at President Francois Hollande. It makes fake wishes for the new year while making fun of the president's love life and the economic crisis is. The last line says, "Am I on the right track? I'll only know it in the end..."

Bernard Verlhac, known as Tignous, 57, has been drawing for the press since 1980.

He appears to have been a part of network of cartoonists called Cartooning for Peace. A number of his drawings are posted the site.

His early cartoons appeared in L'idiot international, La grosse Bertha, and L'événement du jeudi, according to his bio on Cartooning for Peace.

Bernard Maris, known as "Uncle Bernard" to readers of Charlie Hebo, was killed in the attack.

Maris, 68, was a famous left-wing economist who wrote about finance and economics. He was an editor at Charlie Hebdo and a member of the Bank of France's General Council.

"This is a barbaric attack on the freedom of the press," Bank of France governor Christian Noyer said in as statement according to NBC News. "Bernard Maris was a cultured, kind and very tolerant man. He will be much missed."

He is from Toulouse, a southwestern region of France, and received his PhD from the University of Toulouse. He is also the author of L'Enfant qui voulait etre muet (The boy who wanted to be silent).

"I am heartbroken to have lost a friend made of respect, erudition and kindness," Eric Le Boucher wrote for Slate France. "By killing him, his murderers wanted to kill respect, erudition, and kindness."

Michel Renaud did not work for Charlie Hebro, but was there to visit Cabu. Renaud was organizing a cultural event called Carnet de Voyage in central France. Cabu was the event's guest of honor, according to France 3.

He was visiting the magazine with another organizer of the event, Gerard Gaillard, who managed to escape the shooting, by lying on the ground.

Franck Brinsolaro

Franck Brinsolaro, 49, is one of the police officers killed in the attack. According to French media, he was a member of the special protection service and part of Charb's protection team. He was killed inside the building.

"The whole of France must mobilize against the horror that struck our country," Brinsolaro's twin brother Philippe said to reporters. "You can't attack freedom of expression, attack the authority of the state in this way."

Brinsolaro is from Marseilles and had recently married a journalist, according to The Guardian.

Le Figaro reported that he leaves behind a young daughter.

Ahmed Merabet was the second police officer that died in the attack. He was killed outside the building after encountering the gunmen. He was called to the scene while on patrol with a colleague.

"He was on foot, and came nose to nose with the terrorists. He pulled out his weapon. It was his job, it was his duty," Rocco Contento a union representative at the central police station for Paris's 11th arrondissement said, according to The Guardian.

Merabet was a policeman for the past eight years and had recently qualified to become a detective. Contento said he leaves behind a wife. "We are all extremely shocked," he said.

According to Le Monde, cartoonist Honoré was also among the victims of the attack. He was the author of this cartoon published on Charlie Hebdo's Twitter account Wednesday morning, before the attack.

Moustapha Ourrad

Moustapha Ourrad was a copy editor. According to a journalist from Le Monde, Ourrad had just gained French citizenship.

Frédéric Boisseau

Frédéric Boisseau was a janitor. He was reportedly in the reception area of the building when he was killed during the attack.

Elsa Cayat

Elsa Cayat was a psychoanalyst and essayist who wrote a twice-monthly column on psychology for the Charlie Hebdo, Le Monde reported.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.