The attack took place early Sunday afternoon, according to the Rhône prefecture. Passengers had previously reported the erratic behavior of an individual armed with a knife.
A 27-year-old Moroccan under OQTF since 2022 was arrested and taken into police custody following a knife attack which injured four people in the Lyon metro on Sunday afternoon.
“An individual armed with a knife injured four people in the Lyon metro between the Debourg and Place Jean-Jaurès stations,” Lyon public prosecutor Thierry Dran told local media.
The suspect, until then unknown to the police, was hospitalized several times for psychiatric problems and has been subject to an obligation to leave French territory since 2022, indicated Fabienne Buccio, prefect of the Auvergne region. Rhône-Alpes and prefect of Rhône, on BFMTV.
“Two victims are in critical condition, one is moderately injured and another is slightly injured”specifies a press release from the prefecture.
“Several traumatized witnesses received psychological support”adds the press release.
The suspect was reportedly placed in police custody, with investigations entrusted to the interdepartmental direction of the national police (DIPN) in Lyon.
According to a police source, two of the injured were stabbed in the abdomen and another in the arm. Firefighters said two victims were treated in critical condition on the subway.
The main victim, who suffered the most serious injuries, is a 17-year-old unaccompanied minor from Guinea, according to a police source.
“The City of Lyon condemns this particularly serious act”declared Mohamed Chihi, deputy mayor in charge of security, on X.
Fabienne Buccio expressed her “support” for the victims and their families, thanked the “personnel of the interdepartmental direction of the national police for the rapid arrest of the suspect”, and praised the intervention of the firefighters and the SAMU.