A man armed with two knives and a baton was shot dead by police in Marseille on Tuesday after stabbing five people, including a hotel manager and his son. The incident unfolded in the bustling Old Port area, a popular district in the southern French city.
Prosecutor Nicolas Bessone confirmed the attacker was a Tunisian national legally residing in France, but already known to police. The man, who had recently been evicted from his hotel room for unpaid rent, returned armed and launched a violent assault.
According to investigators, he first attacked one individual inside his old room before stabbing the hotel manager and the manager’s son. Witnesses reported scenes of chaos as guests and staff tried to escape.
After leaving the hotel, the attacker continued his rampage on nearby Cours Belsunce. He attempted to stab the manager of a snack bar, but customers intervened and chased him from the premises. Witnesses described panic spreading through the street as the assailant fled.
Police quickly arrived on the scene. Officers initially tried to subdue the man with a taser, but when he ignored repeated warnings to drop his weapons, they opened fire. Shots rang out near a kebab restaurant just before 15:00 local time, fatally wounding the attacker.
Of the five victims, one remains in critical condition while two others are seriously wounded, the prosecutor told reporters. Emergency services worked swiftly to transport the injured to hospital for treatment.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced he would visit the scene later in the day to meet police and local officials. “The courage of our officers prevented an even greater tragedy,” a ministry spokesperson said.
Marseille Mayor Benoît Payan also praised the swift response of law enforcement. “The security of the women and men of Marseille is my priority,” he wrote on social media, expressing solidarity with the victims and their families.
The attack has reignited concerns about public safety in Marseille, a city that has seen a rise in violent incidents in recent years. Authorities have yet to determine whether the stabbing spree was linked to broader extremist motivations or personal grievances.
For now, investigators are piecing together the attacker’s background, while residents of the Old Port area grapple with the shock of sudden violence in one of the city’s busiest neighborhoods.
Police presence has since been reinforced in central Marseille as officials seek to reassure the public and prevent further unrest.
