Authorities are examining the unidentified suspect’s motive and whether France’s national anti-terrorism prosecutors should take over the case.
PARIS — French authorities were investigating a knife attack that wounded three women near Porte de Clichy after bystanders subdued the suspected attacker and an off-duty police officer detained him.
The women, ages 19, 24 and 36, were attacked with two kitchen knives late Monday morning, officials said. Two suffered serious wounds, while all three were taken to a hospital. Authorities had not released their names or provided a detailed update on their conditions by Wednesday.
The attack unfolded at about 11:30 a.m. in the Porte de Clichy area of northwestern Paris. The busy district includes residential streets, restaurants, public transit stops and the main Paris courthouse. Police closed off part of the area as investigators examined the scene.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the suspect’s identity had not been verified immediately after the arrest. He also said the man made incoherent statements while being detained, leaving investigators without a confirmed explanation for the violence.
Video posted on Snapchat and verified by Reuters showed a man in a light-colored tracksuit carrying a large knife in each hand. Part of the recording showed him pursuing a woman. It was not immediately clear whether she was one of the three victims identified by officials.
Another portion of the recording showed the man on the ground as several people held him in place. Two knives could be seen nearby on a pedestrian crossing. During the detention, the man made a religious reference, but officials urged caution and said the statement did not establish a motive.
The national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office said it was reviewing the case to determine whether it should open an investigation. Such a review does not mean authorities have classified an attack as terrorism. Investigators must examine the suspect’s background, statements and actions before deciding which prosecution office has jurisdiction.
No criminal charges had been publicly announced in the initial reports. Authorities also had not disclosed whether the suspect had prior contact with police, whether he knew any of the women or whether the victims appeared to have been selected for a specific reason.
Witness Mohamed-Ali Bouhadjar, who recorded part of the attack, said several people moved toward the assailant after he called for help. One person threw a suitcase, causing the man to drop the knives, Bouhadjar said. He and others then brought the man down and held him until the arrest.
Nuñez praised the off-duty officer who completed the detention, calling the intervention courageous. The sequence shown in the video indicated that civilians had already separated the suspect from the weapons and restrained him before the officer took him into custody.
The investigation remained open Wednesday, with the suspect’s identity, motive and potential legal classification still unresolved. Police had not announced additional arrests or said when prosecutors would decide whether the case should be handled as a terrorism investigation.
Author note: Last updated July 29, 2026.