Barely hours after the stabbing attack which took place this Saturday morning at the Gare de Lyon, the first elements of a portrait of the assailant are beginning to take shape.
Shortly before 8 a.m., he set fire to his backpack in an escalator at the Paris station before attacking travelers, armed with a knife and a hammer.
Three people were injured, one seriously.
The suspect was overpowered by an SNCF security agent and placed in police custody.
This morning at Gare de Lyon, an individual injured 3 people with a knife before being arrested.
One person is seriously injured.
Two others are more lightly.
They were taken care of by the emergency services.
Thanks to those who mastered the author of…
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) February 3, 2024
An investigation into attempted murder has been opened.
“The personality elements of the accused, the circumstances and motivations of the act must still be confirmed,” comments the Paris prosecutor's office.
In regular situation
According to the first information revealed by the Paris police prefect, Laurent Nuñez, on site this Saturday, the man, aged 32, was identified as being of Malian nationality, but having had Italian residence permits since 2016.
The title that was on him, “issued in 2019, is still valid and allows him to travel”, specified the prefect, which therefore gives him a regular situation on French territory.
The suspect has filed an asylum request in Italy and has no previous transalpine history, according to our information.
Psychiatric disorders mentioned
Quickly, the accused “spontaneously” declared to the investigators that he suffered from psychiatric disorders.
Medications were also found on him: antipsychotics and antiepileptics, according to a source close to the investigation.
VIDEO.
A stabbing attack left several injured at Gare de Lyon in Paris
According to our information, he had a ticket with him for an appointment in a psychiatric hospital in the Italian city of Turin.
Unknown to intelligence services
The thirty-year-old would not have made any remarks of a terrorist nature either during his bloody journey or during his arrest.
He also seems unknown to the intelligence services.
According to information from Le Parisien, the suspect is also unknown to the anti-terrorism services in Italy.
“As we speak, there are no elements to suggest that this is a terrorist act,” commented Laurent Nuñez from Lyon station this Saturday morning.
However, investigators are urging caution as the investigation has barely begun.
And because Salafist content has since been discovered on his TikTok account, which is currently being analyzed.