(AFP) – Three people were injured in a knife attack at Gare de Lyon in Paris, a major travel hub, on Saturday, and a suspect was arrested, police said.
The detained Malian national carried out the stabbing at the station, which serves domestic trains as well as trains to Switzerland and Italy, at around 8am (7am GMT).
According to police, one person suffered serious injuries to the abdomen and two others sustained minor injuries.
A police official said, “The suspect did not shout (religious slogans) during the attack.” “He provided the police with an Italian driver’s license and it was determined that his date of birth was January 1, 1992.”
Police sources said passersby subdued the man before railway police arrived at the scene.
“We thank those who subdued the man who carried out this intolerable act,” Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin said on X (formerly Twitter).
The attacker’s motive remains unclear.
French forensic experts and police operate after a knife attack at Gare de Lyon in Paris, a major travel hub, on February 3, 2024. (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP) (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)
The Paris public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the attack, but the national anti-terrorism prosecutor said it was monitoring the proceedings at this stage.
The assault occurred less than six months before Paris is expected to host the 2024 Olympics and attract 15 million tourists.
More than 100 million passengers use Gare de Lyon, France’s largest mainline hub, each year.
Railway operator SNCF said on X (formerly Twitter) that the area between Halls 1 and 3 was temporarily inaccessible.
SNCF said services to the Paris region had been delayed, citing only “acts with criminal intent.”
