Paris police detained a suspect on July 27 following a knife attack that left two women seriously wounded near Porte de Clichy, authorities said. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told reporters that three women aged 19, 24 and 36 were assaulted with two kitchen knives.
Video that circulated on the social media platform X and was verified by outside parties shows a man with long black hair, dressed in a cream tracksuit, wielding a large knife in each hand while stabbing and attempting to strike a young woman. The footage does not make clear whether that woman was injured in the incident.
Another segment of the footage depicts the same individual lying on the ground, restrained by bystanders. The two knives are visible on a pedestrian crossing nearby. While immobilized on the pavement, the man is recorded saying, "It is Allah who commanded me," according to the available material.
Nunez said the suspect was detained by an off-duty police officer. "I pay tribute to him, it was a courageous act," the minister said when describing the role of the officer in stopping the attacker.
Authorities reported that two of the three victims sustained severe wounds. The ages of the victims were provided as 19, 24 and 36. Officials added that it was not immediately possible to verify the identity of the suspect and that his statements were "incoherent" at the time of his arrest.
The French national anti-terror prosecutor's office announced it was weighing whether to open an investigation into the episode, a step that would determine whether the case is handled under counterterrorism procedures.
The investigation remains active and preliminary. Questions noted by investigators include verification of the attacker’s identity, confirmation of injuries to the person shown being stabbed in video footage, and a determination of whether the suspect’s declarations are linked to a broader motive or were isolated statements made while he was being detained.
Context and next steps
Authorities continue to collect evidence, review video material and interview witnesses to establish a clearer factual record. The anti-terror prosecutor’s office has not yet announced a decision on opening a formal investigation.