A manhunt ensued following a knife-wielding man’s reported stabbing of three women along a bustling metro route in Paris. The perpetrator allegedly struck at Arts-et-Métiers, République, and Opéra stations on the Paris metro on Friday between 4:15 pm and 4:45 pm, as confirmed by a police source to Le Parisien. These assaults unfolded on Line 3, which connects Bagnolet in Seine-Saint-Denis with Levallois-Perret in Hauts-de-Seine.
Upon the incidents, emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scenes to attend to the three women, who sustained minor injuries, including wounds to their backs and thighs, as per police reports. A witness at République station described, “The young woman was injured in the thigh. There was quite a lot of blood; it was a pretty deep cut.”
The suspect apparently fled on Line 8 but was later apprehended at his residence in Sarcelles, Val-d’Oise, by the authorities, according to Le Parisien. Leveraging the geolocation data from his phone, the police promptly located and identified him post the attacks.
The Paris prosecutor’s office stated, “Thanks to CCTV footage, the regional transport security services (SRT), which are managing an inquiry into attempted murder and aggravated assault with a weapon, identified an individual, born in 2000, known to the police for various offenses including property damage.”
As per information from a police source cited by Le Parisien, terrorism has been discounted, and the assaults seem to be the actions of an individual grappling with mental health challenges. Operations resumed back to normal at Opéra and République stations two hours after the incidents, with Line 3 running smoothly.