An attacker who killed one man and wounded two others in a knife-and-hammer rampage in Paris cited the war in Gaza as a motivation, according to French authorities.
The suspect, identified only as French citizen Armand R., 26, stabbed a German tourist to death not far from the Eiffel Tower on Saturday night, BBC News reported.
French cops said Armand R. then attempted to kill the man’s wife, but a taxi driver jumped out and scared him away, according to the BBC. The attacker then sprinted off and struck a British man and a Frenchman with a hammer, police said.
Neither of the wounded victims was in life-threatening condition, the BBC reported. The man was tracked down by authorities.
When speaking with police, the man said he was angered by the deaths of Muslims worldwide, particularly in Afghanistan and Gaza, according to French authorities. The man said France was an accomplice in the killings in the Middle East.
Prosecutors said Sunday that the suspect had pledged his allegiance to ISIS, the BBC reported. They cited a social media video in which he expressed support for the group.
Prior to the attack, Armand R. spent four years in prison for planning a violent offense, according to police. He was detained from 2016 until 2020, then released under surveillance and recommended for psychiatric treatment.
“This person was ready to kill others,” French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said. He added that anti-terrorism investigators were taking the lead in the case.
With News Wire Services
