France In Shock After Children and Adults Are Stabbed
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
PARIS (Worthy News) – France’s parliament observed a moment of silence, and the nation’s president expressed “shock” after a man armed with a knife stabbed four preschool children and injured two adults near a famous lake in the French Alps on Thursday.
The attack occurred early Thursday at around 09:45 local time, and at least two children between 22 months and three years old and one adult suffered life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
The detained attacker was a Syrian in his early 30s who was granted refugee status in Sweden in April and had previously applied for asylum in France in November 2022, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told reporters.
Borne spoke to media at the attack scene in Annecy, a city about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of the Swiss city of Geneva.
A possible Islamic motive has not been ruled out, but there were no indications yet, according to investigators.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the knife attack an act of “cowardice” and added: The nation is in shock.”
Video footage of the attacker taken by a bystander shows a man dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and shorts while holding a small blade.
ENTERING PLAYGROUND
Witnesses said the knifeman was running around a public park on the banks of the Lake of Annecy, apparently randomly attacking people.
He had entered a playground near Annecy’s famous lake, an area prized by locals and tourists for its quiet, calm, and breathtaking views.
The man walked past the adults in the park and targeted very young children with a knife – including one child in a pushchair, according to witnesses.
Within minutes, the attacker was pursued by police. He then attacked an older man in a different part of the park. Police fired shots and arrested the attacker, who was unharmed, officials said.
Several victims were then rushed to hospital, several sources confirmed.
Dozens of other very young children were receiving support for the trauma of witnessing the stabbings. High school children who also witnessed the attack were being treated for shock.
YOUNG CHILDREN
One of the critically injured young children was British, Britain’s foreign secretary, James Cleverly, confirmed. French authorities said the British child was a tourist.
Another of the children was Dutch. A 70-year-old man was also seriously injured – first stabbed by the knife-attacker and then wounded by police fire. A second adult was treated for injuries.
The local prosecutor said an inquiry was underway for attempted murder.
The national police, rather than anti-terrorist investigators, are heading the investigation.
The prosecutor said the initial investigations showed that “there is no apparent terrorist motive,” but nothing has been excluded.
The stabbings occurred when France was still recovering from several terror attacks.
If you are interested in articles produced by Worthy News, please check out our FREE sydication service available to churches or online Christian ministries. To find out more, visit Worthy Plugins.