Three women, including a pregnant woman, were injured in a knife attack near the Paris courthouse after a man armed with two kitchen knives attacked them in an alleged violent assault on Monday, police say. The suspect was quickly overpowered by members of the public and an off-duty police officer and taken into custody.
The attack occurred near Porte de Clichy in northern Paris, close to the Paris Court, and emergency services and police rushed to respond quickly. The three victims were 19, 24, and 36, French authorities said. Two of the women were seriously injured and admitted to hospital while the third was less seriously injured. All three women are expected to live, including the pregnant woman, officials said.
Witnesses told Reuters the attacker shouted: “It is Allah who commanded me.” But French authorities have warned that it is too soon to say if it was terrorism.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the suspect made statements that appeared incoherent during and after the attack. Nunez said investigators are still working to establish the motive behind the assault.
“He did say things that were entirely incoherent, and I can’t at the moment take any conclusion about his motivation,” he said.
The videos circulating on social media, which were first shared on Snapchat and verified by Reuters, showed the suspect wearing a cream-coloured tracksuit and carrying two large kitchen knives. He was seen chasing one of the women before courageous bystanders intervened to stop the attack.
A witness threw a suitcase at the suspect and knocked one of the knives out of his hand. Other members of the public then used chairs and other nearby objects until an off-duty police officer intervened and took him into custody. The brave men and women who came forward and intervened to prevent further harm, authorities said, were praised.
Interior Minister Nunez commended both the off-duty officer and the civilians who risked their safety to stop the attacker, saying their immediate response probably prevented a much greater tragedy.
In the course of the investigation, police discovered that the suspect had initially provided officers with a false identity. Now authorities believe he is a 31-year-old man from Les Lilas, a suburb of Paris on the outskirts of the department of Seine-Saint-Denis.
Investigators are looking into the suspect’s background, mental health, and possible motivations. The attack is not definitively linked to terrorism, extremism, or mental illness, and officials have asked the public to postpone speculation until the investigation is complete, the newspaper said.
The incident is happening as France continues to maintain high levels of security after several violent attacks in recent years. Knife attacks remain a top concern for French authorities, who are monitoring potential threats and quickly responding to acts of public violence.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities will provide further information once forensic examinations and interviews with the suspect are complete.
