A man suspected of stabbing three individuals at Gare de Lyon in Paris has been arrested and detained, according to authorities who could not yet specify the assailant’s motives.
Initial inquiries don’t suggest a terrorist act, said police prefect Laurent Nunez. The suspect, originally from Mali, apparently has psychiatric issues but has been legally residing in Italy since 2016. Medication was found on his person.
The assault involved a knife and hammer against three members of the public, resulting in one serious injury. This victim’s condition, critical at first, has now stabilised. Two other individuals sustained minor injuries, with a fourth suffering from shock.
The attack occurred around 07:35 on Saturday 3 February in an underground hall of the station in the south-east of the capital. The station is France’s busiest interchange, particularly serving ski enthusiasts during winter vacations.
More than 100 million travellers pass through annually, utilising routes that cover the south-east region, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Burgundy-Franche-Comté, along with Switzerland and Italy.
The incident falls less than six months before the Paris Olympics, for which 15 million visitors are expected in a tense security environment. A murder attempt investigation is now underway, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed.
