PARIS, France: A police officer was wounded in a knife attack in Paris on Thursday in the high-end Champs-Elysees neighborhood, just days before the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics. The assailant was shot and later died of his injuries. Paris police chief Laurent Nunez stated that the attack did not appear to be linked to the Olympics, and no terrorist motive was suspected.
The incident occurred in the 8th arrondissement of Paris while police were responding to a call from security agents at the flagship Louis Vuitton store. The agents reported “suspicious behavior” by a man outside the store. When officers arrived, the assailant pulled out a knife, threatened them, and succeeded in stabbing one of the officers multiple times. Nunez defended the police response as “totally proportionate,” given the threat to their lives.
The wounded officer was hospitalized but is not in life-threatening condition. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the attempted murder of a police officer.
The attack happened in a bustling area filled with tourists and locals. Police quickly cordoned off the area, while some onlookers continued dining at nearby sidewalk cafes. Journalists reported seeing police reinforcements rushing in after the stabbing. Guests at a nearby luxury hotel had to pass under police tape to enter.
This attack comes just days after another stabbing incident in Paris, where a man wounded a French soldier patrolling outside the Gare de l’Est train station. That attacker was taken to a psychiatric hospital.
France is currently under its highest security alert ahead of the Paris Games, set to start on July 26. Paris police have implemented strict new security measures in the city center to prepare for the opening ceremony, which will be held along the Seine River instead of in a closed stadium.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin is staying on in a caretaker role at the interior ministry until a new government is formed following a recent legislative election.
