Knifeman Kills ‘Mother and Sister’ in Paris Suburb

Jane Werrell
8/23/2018
Updated:
8/23/2018

Two people have been killed and one has been seriously injured in a knife attack west of Paris, police said.

The victims are reportedly the mother and sister of the knifeman.

The attacker was shot dead by police after threatening them with a knife, according to authorities.

ISIS quickly claimed responsibility to the attack, but provided no proof. Their claim came before it was confirmed that the victims were the attacker’s relatives.

According to BFM TV, the man shouted “Allah Akbar,” but police could not confirm this.
French interior Minister Gerard Collomb said in a press conference that the attacker had “serious psychiatric problems” and was “not capable of following instructions from the Islamic State (IS) group.”

He sent condolences to the victims and their loved ones on Twitter. He also congratulated the police force.

“The police operation is over ... the person was neutralized and is dead,” the local prefecture said.

The attack happened in Trappes, an underprivileged town about 18 miles west of Paris.

Between 60 to 80 radicalized youths from the town of about 30,000 habitants have left for Syria, according Public Radio Broadcaster France Inter.
Reuters contributed to this report