Three people have been killed in a knife attack in the Notre-Dame church in Nice, the police inform the French media. The perpetrator has been arrested. The attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
Three people were killed after a knife attack in the Notre-Dame church in Nice in the south of France around 09 o’clock on Thursday morning. The anti-terror prosecution authority, which is leading the investigation, has confirmed this to several French media.
Prosecutors and police say an investigation into the attack as a terrorist act is already underway.
One of the dead is said to have had his throat cut, reports Reuters and AFP. According to Reuters, it is a woman. France Info experiences that of the three dead, two are women and one man. It has not been officially confirmed.
According to Nice mayor Christian Estrosi, two have been killed inside the church.
Police sources tell FranceInfo that the third victim sought refuge in a bar near the church, where she died from her injuries.
Perpetrator sent to hospital
All the churches in Nice are now guarded or closed, the mayor states.
He also says that the perpetrator shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is great in Arabic, journ.anm.) Even after he was arrested by the police.
The perpetrator must have been injured and sent to hospital.
The church is located just off the main street of the city. A suspicious luggage has also been found which they are investigating.
French police report on Twitter that the bomb squad is on the scene and ask people to stay away from the city center. They state that an explosion that was heard in connection with the attack originated from the police.
– Do not panic, the situation is under control, they write.
Crisis meeting with Macron
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has convened an emergency meeting of the Interior Ministry. President Emmanuel Macron will attend, which is now on its way to Nice.
The mayor of the city Christian Estrosi confirms on Twitter that the perpetrator has been arrested. He also confirms that it was an attack with a “blank weapon”, ie a stabbing or stabbing weapon.
– I confirm that everything points to a terrorist attack, writes Estrosi.
The mayor of Nice is calling for strong reactions after the French city was once again hit by a possible terrorist attack. In 2016, Nice was subjected to a terrorist attack that killed 86 people and injured 458 when an Islamist drove into a crowd on the city’s beach promenade with a truck.
– We can no longer settle for peace laws in the face of Islamist fascism, writes mayor Christian Estrosi on Twitter:
Estrosi is the mayor of the right-wing Republican Party (Les Républicains).
ARMED POLICE: The perpetrator is said to have been arrested, but there are still a lot of police in the streets around the church.
–—
Norwegian family in Nice: Heard explosions
A Norwegian family living in a hotel right next to the church tells what they saw:
– We have seen the police go in and heard seven shots inside the church, the father of the family says to VG.
He says that they first heard two explosions that he believes may be due to the police blowing up the church door.
French police write on Twitter that “the detonations you hear were carried out by the police, do not panic, the situation is under control”. French media have reported that suspicious luggage has been found in the area.
– A patient has been rolled onto a stretcher, says the Norwegian who wishes to remain anonymous. The Norwegian family lives in France, but is on autumn vacation in Nice.
Nice mayor: Everything points to a terrorist attack
– I’m on the scene with the police, who have arrested the perpetrator. I confirm that everything indicates that this is a terrorist attack, writes Estrosi Twitter.
It’s only 13 days since the French teacher Samuel Paty (47) was beheaded outside the school where he worked in a suburb of Paris. Paty showed the students caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
The case is being updated.
KNIFE ATTACK: It must have been in the area around Notre-Dame Church in Nice that the possible terrorist attack must have taken place. Photo: IMAGEBROKER
–
–
VG Discount Codes
A commercial collaboration with kickback.no
–
