Notre Dame Basilica, Nice
Three people were killed in an attack at the Notre Dame basilica in Nice, France. A terrorist entered the church around 9 a.m. local time, yelling “Allahu Akbar” and proceeded to behead at least one woman. There are conflicting reports as to whether a man was also beheaded in the church or stabbed to death. The third victim ran out of the church but “was hunted down and killed.”
“It seems that, according to the first findings of the police, the woman who was inside the church has been decapitated. For the other victims, we cannot say anything at the moment,” Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, told reporters.
“The suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained. He is on his way to hospital, he is alive,” Estrosi added.
In the Nice attack, the first victim – a woman in her seventies – was attacked after coming there early to pray and was found ‘almost beheaded’ close to the church font.
A 45-year-old sacristan, named locally as Vincent L, a father-of-two, was then attacked and also beheaded.
A third woman – described as of African origin and aged in her 30s – was then stabbed ‘multiple times’ and managed to flee to a bar across the street, where she died.
Police were called and arrived at 9.10am. They stormed the cathedral, shooting and arresting the attacker. (DailyMail)
Jean Castex, the Prime Minister, raised the country’s security alert to “emergency” after the terror attack. Castex said “the attack was as cowardly as it was barbaric and puts the entire country in mourning.”
A short time later, in Avignon, about two hours from Nice, a gunman yelling “Allahu Akbar” threatened people on the streets before being shot dead by police.
Meanwhile in Lyon, an Afghan man in his 20s was arrested while trying to board a tram carrying a long knife. The man was known to French intelligence services.
In Sartrouville, north of Paris, a man was arrested around 1pm after his father called police and said his son had left home and planned ‘to do as in Nice.’ Police stopped the man, who was in possession of a large knife, in his car near a local church.