Two individuals have tragically lost their lives, and seven others have been injured in a knifing attack outside a bakery in France.
Amid the country’s third week of lockdown due to the Coronavirus, the attack occurred around 11 am this morning on April 4.
According to local media reports, the assailant allegedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” before carrying out the stabbing on at least 9 people waiting in line to enter the bakery in Romans-sur-Isère, southern France.
Reports from local media indicate that the alleged attacker, who claimed to be from Sudan, fatally stabbed a Romanian resident while he was on his daily walk. The victim’s throat was slit in front of his girlfriend and son.
Afterward, the assailant proceeded to a tobacco shop where he attacked the tobacconist and two customers. He then entered a local butcher’s shop and later a supermarket, where he assaulted a client with a knife and forced some shoppers to seek refuge in a nearby bakery.
The suspected attacker was not identified by prosecutors but claimed to be Sudanese and born in 1987, presenting no documentation. The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office is assessing the potential terrorism motivation behind the attack but has not initiated formal proceedings.
France remains under strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus, permitting residents to leave their homes only for essential activities such as shopping and medical appointments.
The country has reported over 83,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with the death toll exceeding 6,500.