Three hurt in stabbing at major Paris train station
PARIS: Three people were injured on Saturday in a knife attack at Paris’ Gare de Lyon train station, police said, adding that a suspect had been arrested and detained.
The man, a Malian citizen, went on a stabbing spree at about 7:35 a.m. (local time) at the station, a major travel hub that operates domestic trains, as well as those heading to Switzerland and Italy.
One person suffered serious injuries to the abdomen, while the other two were slightly wounded, police said.
A terrorist attack has been ruled out at this stage and an inquiry launched.
Sources said the man appeared to be homeless and suffering from psychological problems.
Paris prosecutors said the suspect could have used a knife and a hammer that were under analysis.
“The suspect did not cry out (any religious slogans) during his attack,” a police source said, adding that he “presented the police an Italian driving license,” which gave his date of birth as Jan. 1, 1992.
Passersby overpowered the man before railway police arrived on the scene, the source said.
“A thank you to those who overpowered the man who carried out this unbearable act,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on X, formerly Twitter. The attacker’s motive remains unclear. The Paris prosecutor’s office launched an inquiry into the attack, while the national anti-terrorist prosecutor said it was observing proceedings at this stage.
The assault took place less than six months before Paris hosts the 2024 Summer Olympics and an expected 15 million visitors.
Each year, more than 100 million passengers go through the Gare de Lyon, France’s biggest mainline rail hub.
The area between halls one and three was temporarily inaccessible, rail operator SNCF said on X.
Services to the Paris region were delayed, the SNCF said, referring only to “an act of criminal intent.”