Paris Knife Rampage Leaves 1 Dead, 4 Injured
An attacker on France’s terror watchlist slashed one person to death and injured four others Saturday before being shot dead by police.
The knife attack by Chechnyan terrorist Khamzat Asimov, 29, took place near the Opera Garnier in the center of Paris, the Daily Mail reported.
Authorities later took Asimov’s family into custody.
The attack took place shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday.
Britain’s Sky News reported that Asimov was shouting as he ran down the Rue Monsigny. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said one witness told police that Asimov shouted, “Allahu Akbar,” which in Arabic means “God is great.”
The perpetrator of the Paris stabbing attack shouted “Allahu Akbar” before the attack, according to Paris prosecutor François Molins speaking at the scene of the deadly incident. https://t.co/rYxuKyrmdp
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 12, 2018
Police union representative Rocco Contento said Asimov was shouting, “I will kill you, I will kill you,” as he ran at officers.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, according to CNN. It issued a statement saying that “the person who executed the stabbing in Paris is a soldier of the Islamic State.”
In response to the attack, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter, “France has once again paid in blood, but will not give an inch to the enemies of freedom.”
Paris police have launched a terror investigation after one person died and four others were injured by a knifeman https://t.co/Iwm8l6gwfZ
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 13, 2018
The BBC reported that the man, who was dressed only in black sweatpants, tried to enter several of the bars and restaurants in the area, which has heavy tourist traffic.
“I saw him with a knife in his hand. He looked crazy,” a waiter who gave his name as Jonathan said. He said a woman who had been stabbed came into the restaurant.
“That’s when the panic started. Everyone started screaming and trying to reach our restaurant. … The attacker just kept walking around with his knife in his blooded hands,” he said.
“Police were quickly on the scene, in less than five minutes. They encircled him and he tried to attack them with a knife but they shot him down,” he said.
Police reported that they attempted to stop Asimov with a Taser but were unsuccessful.
Two of the four people wounded were reported as being in very serious condition.
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