Attacker deadly stabs passers-by person in central Paris before being arrested

One person died and two others were injured after an assailant stabbed passers-by in central Paris near the Eiffel Tower on Saturday evening, French police source said, an attack confirmed by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
 

Les policiers viennent d’avoir courageusement interpellé un assaillant s’en prenant à des passants à Paris, autour du quai de Grenelle. Une personne décédée et un blessé pris en charge par les Pompiers de Paris. Merci d’éviter le secteur.

— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) December 2, 2023

According to an AFP French police source, the suspect had reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") before being arrested. A police source reported the suspect was known for radical Islamism and to have psychiatric problems. He said he could not bear to see Muslims being killed around the world, the police source added.

The attacker was born in France and is French, the Paris public prosecutor's office said.

The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said it had not yet put in charge of an investigation.

"The assailant was neutralised very quickly by police. We tried to save the life of this man. It's a man who died and they (the people who were attacked) were tourists," Dr Patrick Pelloux told BFM TV.

BFM, citing police, said the man who died was of German nationality.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP & Reuters)