A man armed with a knife and a hammer injured three people in a rampage on Saturday. French train Station, police have ruled out terrorism and advised the suspect has mental health issues.
The attack took place at the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris around 7:35 a.m. where a man suffered serious abdominal injuries and was taken to hospital for surgery. Police say the victim’s injuries are life-threatening.
The other two victims suffered minor injuries. Police say.
A 32-year-old suspect has been taken into custody. The motive of the suspected attacker was not immediately clear.
French forensic and judicial police are gathering evidence after a February stabbing at Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris, a major travel hub. 3, 2024. (Thomas Samson/AFP via Getty Images)
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According to French media, the man is from Mali. In AfricaWhile the police said he was carrying residence papers and medicines from Italy which indicated that he was undergoing treatment. The papers allow him to travel legally to other European countries.
“The man appears to be suffering from psychological problems,” said Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, who is also in charge of the massive security operation for the year. Olympic Games in the city which will run from July 26 to August 11.
Stressing that the police investigation is still in its early stages, Nunez said: “There are no elements that make us think it could be an act of terrorism.”
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez speaks to the press after the knife attack.
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Bystanders intervened to help railroad police officers take the suspect into custody, Nunez said.
Officials said the attack took place in one of the station’s cavernous halls. Millions of passengers ride the transport hub’s high-speed trains that connect Paris to other cities and its commuter train services to suburbs and towns in the Paris region.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said investigators were analyzing the knife and hammer. It said the police investigation was considering a possible preliminary charge of attempted murder.
French forensic and judicial police gather evidence after a knife attack at Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris, a major travel hub, on February 3, 2024. (Thomas Samson/AFP via Getty Images)
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanian called the attack intolerable and thanked those who detained the attacker.
There have been several knife attacks in France recently.
In October, a Chechen immigrant was reportedly on France’s extremist watch list. The teacher was stabbed to death And two others were injured in a suspected terrorist attack, while in June, a Syrian refugee armed with a knife Four young children were killed with a knife. and injured two adults from a lake in the French Alps.
At least six people were injured in an attack in January last year. Gare du Nord train station in Paris.