[ad_1]
Knife attack near Notre-Dame church.
The death toll after a knife attack in Nice, in southeastern France, rose to three and the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office announced the opening of an investigation for murder and attempted murder, reports AFP.
A police source told the French agency that two people, a man and a woman, died in the church of Notre-Dame, where the attack occurred, and a third victim, seriously injured, died in a bar near the church, where he had taken refuge.
The Antiterrorist Prosecutor’s Office announced the opening of an investigation for “murder” and “attempted murder” after the attack, in which at least one of the dead was beheaded and several more were injured.
The events occurred around 9 a.m. at the scene (8 a.m. in mainland Portugal) near the Notre-Dame church in central Nice, added a police source.
Many police and firefighters are at the scene, said an AFP journalist who is outside the security perimeter and a few dozen meters from the church.
Tram traffic has been disrupted in this busy area.
“The situation is under control, we must not panic,” said local police.
“The detonations they hear are caused by the demining operation,” added police spokeswoman Florence Gavello.
The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced on the social network Twitter the holding of a “crisis meeting” in Paris, while the National Assembly decided to observe a minute of silence in solidarity with the victims and their families.
The French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, left the National Assembly urgently, where he appeared to clarify the new confinement due to the new coronavirus pandemic, to attend the crisis unit.
French President Emmanuel Macron will also be present at this meeting, announced the Elysee Palace.
Nice was in mourning in 2016 after an attack that killed 86 people on the famous Promenade des Anglais on July 14, in the middle of a national holiday.
[ad_2]
