French BFMTV news outlet has reported that a detained suspect in the knife attack in Lyon told the police that he was Afghan born in 1986, though there's no official confirmation of the information.
According to BFM TV, the suspected attacker was not listed in the French police database as an individual suspected of being prone to radical Islamist activities, while the motive of the incident remains unknown.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that one person died, while nine others were injured as a result of a knife attack that occurred at around 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT) at the Laurent-Bonnevay metro station in Villeurbanne. A police manhunt for a possible second perpetrator is underway, according to local media reports.
#BREAKING
— TerrorNewsWorld (@TerrorNewsWorld) 31 августа 2019 г.
Large amount of emergency services in #Villeurbanne near #Lyon. What is known about the attack:
- 2 attackers with knives
- 8 wounded
- 1 dead. pic.twitter.com/AqrTPPVzUr
A video posted on Twitter appears to show one of the assailants being detained by other pedestrians before the arrival of the police.
On le voit ici maîtrisé par des passants. (assis devant l'ascenseur) pic.twitter.com/gDLhJ5lWX0
— Alex 🌍 (@Khas_sf) 31 августа 2019 г.
According to AFP news agency, the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office monitors the situation but not in charge of the case.
France remains on high alert after several deadly Islamic extremist attacks in 2015 and 2016.
