At least two people were killed and seven others injured after a man attacked them with a knife on Saturday, before being arrested, according to the sources.
One of the injured was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition.
Advertisement
The attack took place at a shopping centre and on a road in Romans-sur-Isere before police apprehended the man at 11:00 am local time.
The knifeman is said to have attacked the manager and two customers before continuing their rampage on the street, according to France Bleu.
The attacker then reportedly went into a butcher’s and grabs a second knife, local media said.
The two victims are said to have been a customer of the tobacco shop and a butcher whose business it close by.
Local media have also reported that the suspect’s roommate has also reportedly been arrested.
French officials said local police are working to establish a motive for this morning’s attack.
The French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, saying “My thoughts are with the victims of the Romans-sur-Isère attack, the injured, their families”.
“All the light will be shed on this odious act which comes to mourn our country already hard hit these last weeks”, the president further added.
Taking to Twitter, Pierre Jouvet, a local councillor also expressed his condolence to the victim and said, “I learn with sadness and horror of the death of two people following a knife attack in the city center of #RomanssurIsere.
“The alleged killer was arrested by the police and the judicial police are seized”, the councillor added.
“At present seven people are said to be injured, four of whom are in absolute emergency. At this moment, my thoughts go to them”, he further said.
The country is facing a full lockdown and in its third week of complete self-isolation because of novel Coronavirus spread.
As of Friday, Fance has reported the highest number of casualties with 1,321 and 1,120 respectively.
There have been 6,507 deaths in the country so far.