Paris Knife Attack Leaves Three Women Injured

​PARIS — Three women, including an expectant mother, were seriously injured on Monday morning in a knife attack near the Porte de Clichy in northwestern Paris. The 31-year-old suspect, who wielded two kitchen knives, reportedly shouted that he was acting under divine orders before being subdued by brave bystanders and an off-duty police officer.

​The assault unfolded outside near a local brasserie and tram stop. According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, the victims are aged 19, 24, and 36. Two of the women sustained severe wounds, and one—who is pregnant—was hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities have confirmed that none of the victims’ injuries are currently considered life-threatening.

​Footage captured on social media and verified by news agencies showed a long-haired man in a cream-colored tracksuit brandishing a blade in each hand before quick-thinking citizens intervened. Mohamed-Ali Bouhadjar, a 26-year-old witness who filmed the incident, recounted how a bystander hurled a suitcase to knock the attacker off balance. Civilians then rushed forward, swept the suspect’s legs, and pinned him to a pedestrian crossing until law enforcement arrived. An off-duty police officer quickly stepped in to formally detain the individual, earning praise from interior officials for his courageous intervention.

ADVERTISEMENT

​As he was pinned to the pavement, the suspect allegedly proclaimed, “It is Allah who commanded me”. However, officials have urged caution against prematurely labeling the incident as an act of Islamic terrorism. Nunez noted that the suspect’s statements during the arrest were “incoherent”, and preliminary evaluations point toward a history of severe psychiatric disorders.

​The French national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office is closely monitoring the investigation, though local authorities are leading the inquiry as they work to verify the suspect’s identity and psychological background.