Man kills two, wounds seven in France stabbings

A man in south-east France attacked several people with a knife on Saturday, killing two and wounding seven, before being arrested, according to AFP. 

At least one of the wounded is in critical condition in hospital, while several others are in "serious" condition, officials told the Telegraph. 

The attack took place on a shopping street in Romans-sur-Isere, near Lyon.

The alleged attacker was arrested by police nearby, shortly after the attack. Prosecutors did not identify him but said he claimed to be Sudanese and to have been born in 1987. However he was not carrying documents and police are verifying his identity.

The investigation is being handled by criminal police for the time being.

The prosecutors' office said it was evaluating whether the attack was motivated by terrorism, but that it has not launched any formal proceedings to treat it as such, and the motive remains unknown.

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French media reported that the knifeman first attacked a Romanian resident who had just left his home for his daily walk — slitting his throat in front of his girlfriend and son.

Following that, they reported, the assailant entered a tobacco shop, stabbed the tobacconist and two customers, and then went into the local butcher's shop. He grabbed another knife and attacked a client with the blunt end before entering a supermarket.

Some shoppers took refuge in a nearby bakery.

In full lockdown because of Covid-19, France is currently in its third week of self-isolation, with citizens requiring permits to leave their homes to go shopping or take daily exercise.