France Knife Attack: Six Nursery Children Stabbed at Random While Playing in Park

By Staff, Agencies

Six nursery children and one adult have suffered injuries in a mass stabbing this morning in French Alps while playing in a playground.

A lone man armed with a knife attacked a group of children aged around three years old at 9:45a at a park near the lake, according to local reports.

The unnamed suspect was arrested at the scene after security forces swooped in as local politicians condemned the attack.

Among the children, there are three in critical condition, France Bleu reported.

The president of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez, tweeted: "Horror again. This attack on children is the height of the abomination.”

“I extend my full support to the victims and their families. Congratulations to our police officers for the courage they showed in arresting the assailant.”

Darmanin confirmed the attack, saying: "Several people, including children, were injured by an individual armed with a knife in a square in Annecy."

The stabbing happened in the Paquier sector, which is a wide esplanade bordering Lake Annecy, in Annecy town.

A witness at the scene told France Bleu Pays de Savoie: "We saw a person attacking children, small ones, obviously that was his target. After people tried to scare him, he walked away and the police intervened.

"He spoke English. In the beginning, we all thought it was staged, but with the cries of people, we realize that it's reality, the guy was confused."

Other witnesses say they think they saw the man, believed to be a Syrian refugee, wandering around the lake for several days.

Antoine Armand, a member of Parliament for Haute-Savoie, also condemned the attack saying it was “abominable”.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, a former Member of the National Assembly of France, wrote on Twitter: "How is it possible? Attacking little ones! Hit them with a knife! Our heart is in pieces having to live it. To the children our painful affection. To the parents all our grieving sympathy."

A minute of silence has been observed at the National Assembly and the French Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, is on her way to the scene.