Justice is advancing after the knife attack of a police crew in Cannes by a 37-year-old Algerian “unknown to the intelligence services”. “Entrusted to the Nice branch of the Marseille judicial police”, an investigation was opened for “attempted assassination on national police officials,” the Grasse prosecutor’s office said Monday evening.
“The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office has visited the scene and is evaluating the advisability of its referral. As it stands, the Grasse prosecution remains competent, ”explained the prosecution. If “the first investigations reveal, that once immobilized on the ground and questioned by a police officer on the motive of his act, the assailant would have replied:” for the prophet “”, as specified by the prosecution, the track terrorist is on the other hand not confirmed. According to justice, the search carried out at the home of the aggressor did not “highlight any element of radicalization or membership in a jihadist organization”.
Police officers in shock
Monday at 6:35 am, in the parking lot of the Cannes police station, a police crew who were about to go on patrol was attacked by a 37-year-old man of Algerian nationality, armed with a knife. A first policeman was repeatedly hit with the weapon. Bypassing the vehicle, the assailant then attacked a second policeman, also stabbing him several times. Protected by their bulletproof vests, the two police officers were not injured, but remain shocked by the violence of the blows received, added the prosecution.
Still according to the same source, the attacker was finally “neutralized” by a third police officer who fired. A fourth policeman in the cockpit fired through the window of the vehicle. “Hit twice”, the attacker was transported to the Nice hospital center where he is currently being taken care of by a surgical team. His vital prognosis was no longer engaged on Monday evening. He will be heard as soon as his condition permits.