Three people were injured White weapon this Saturday at a train station in Parisand a suspect had been arrested, French police told the AFP news agency, which initially ruled out that it was a “terrorist act”.
The initial elements of the investigation do not indicate that “this is a terrorist attack,” said Paris police chief Laurant Nuñez, adding that the suspect was suffering from “psychiatric disorders.”
The events occurred at Gare de Lyon around 08:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) in an underground room.
The attacker, armed with a knife and a hammer, attacked three people, one of whom was in serious condition and his vital prognosis was at risk, Nuñez said in a press conference.
The other two people have minor injuries and a fourth is in shock.
The suspect “spontaneously” stated that he was suffering from “psychiatric problems” and “medications” were found in his possession, Nuñez added.
According to the documents in his possession, he has Malian nationality and has been a “legal resident of Italy since 2016, with a full residence permit issued in 2019”.
He was initially overpowered by some passers-by before railway police intervened, police sources said.
The same sources stated that he apparently did not scream when he committed his act.
The incident came less than six months before the Paris Olympics, which take place from July 26 to August 11 and are expected to draw 15 million visitors to the French capital.
More than 100 million passengers pass through the Gare de Lyon every year, from which high-speed routes depart to the southeast of France, but also to Spain, Switzerland and Italy.
SPRING: AFP