This marks the second stabbing incident in Paris this week, occurring amidst heightened security measures.
A police officer sustained critical injuries in a stabbing attack in central Paris on Thursday, just days before the commencement of the Olympic Games in the French capital.
The attack transpired in the upscale shopping district of the Champs Elysees as the officer was responding to a call from security personnel at a store, as stated by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on X (formerly Twitter).
A guard at a Louis Vuitton boutique had alerted the police after noticing a man carrying a knife, as reported by Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, according to Reuters.
The assailant “produced a knife and threatened [the officers], attempted to stab them multiple times, and succeeded in stabbing,” Nunez told reporters gathered outside the store after the incident, according to the Associated Press (AP) news agency.
The police officer sustained stab wounds to the ear, neck, and collarbone, as reported by Le Parisien newspaper. He was transported to the hospital in a critical but non-life-threatening condition. The assailant was shot in the abdomen and succumbed to his injuries, as reported by AP, citing the Paris prosecutor’s office. According to media reports, the suspect was 27 years old, and of Senegalese nationality.
The attack does not appear to be linked to the Olympics and no terrorist motive is suspected, according to police statements.
This incident comes just days after a man stabbed a soldier patrolling the streets outside a train station in Paris. The assailant was taken to a psychiatric hospital, as reported by AP, citing French prosecutors. France is currently under the highest security alert as it prepares to welcome millions of visitors for the Paris Olympic Games, which commence on July 26.
Police enforced stringent security measures in the center of the capital on Thursday in preparation for the opening ceremony, which will take place along the Seine River instead of within a closed stadium.