British girl stabbed in knife attack in France can leave hospital 'within days'
A British girl who was one of four child victims of a chilling knife attack in France will be able to leave hospital soon, prosecutors have said.
On Thursday, a knife-wielding man stabbed four children and two adults during a rampage in Annecy, in the French Alps.
Horrifying video footage captured the alleged attacker, Abdelmasih Hanoun, 31, slashing at members of the public before he was arrested and he has since appeared in court.
One of his victims was a young British girl, who was on holiday in the town at the time.
The girl, reportedly named locally as Ettie, had been visiting with her parents and was rushed to a hospital in Grenoble.
Mourners gather at purple-themed vigil to remember girl, 15, stabbed to death
The moment police arrested the knifemanBut she will be able to leave within just days of the attack ITV reported, and yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the girl had been awake and watching TV.
The footage, filmed by a bystander, shows Hanoun in a park carrying a knife as he swings at members of the public.
One mum inside the enclosed play area can be seen panicking as she pushed her pram around and cries for help.
Abdelmasih Hanoun, who struck in the town close to Lake AnnecyAnother man tried to stop the frenzied attack.
In another video, a 24-year-old man named Henri was seen swinging his bag at the knifeman as he chased him around.
The philosophy graduate, who is on a pilgrimage of cathedrals in France, has since taken to social media to send his thoughts and prayers to the families of the young victims.
A young child joins others leaving tributes to the victims of the knife attack in a lakeside park in Annecy, France (PA)Henri wrote in French yesterday: "I'm at the police station for a witness statement. It will definitely take a long time.
"Pray for the victims, I am fine."
The knifeman first targeted two French cousins named as Ennio and Alba, both two, and then attacked Ettie, a three-year-old English girl on holiday with her parents, and Peter, a 22-month-old Dutch boy.
Yesterday, Ennio and Alba remained in hospital in the nearby city of Grenoble, where their condition was described as "critical".
'Gentle giant' killer stabs man after being accused of flirting with girlfriend
Henri, the backpack hero (DENIS BALIBOUSE/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Prosecutors say they believe the attack isn't terror-motivatedEttie was in the same hospital and her condition was "stable", while Peter was also "stable" having been transferred to a specialist medical unit in Geneva.
Line Bonnet-Mathis, the Annecy Prosecutor who is leading the investigation into the crimes, said: "We are dealing with very young victims whose state of health is still extremely fragile. All are in intensive care."
Two adults were also slashed with a knife by Hanoun – Manuel, 70, and Yusuf, 78, who was also hit by police bullet in error.
Lead prosecutor, Line Bonnet-Mathis, speaks during a press conference where it was announced that the attacker had received preliminary charges of attempted murder (PA)He described himself as a 'Syrian-Christian', who was filmed saying "in the name of Jesus Christ" throughout the attack, said an investigating source.
Ms Bonnet-Mathis told a press conference on Thursday afternoon the attacker's motives remain unclear, but do not appear to be related to terrorism.
In a statement released last night, Yves Le Breton, the prefect of Haute-Savoie region - the department that governs Annecy, said public demonstrations would be banned for the remainder of the day over fears of far-right violence.
A translation of a statement released by the prefect, who is the state's representative in the region, said: "Because of calls for demonstrations entitled 'Francocide' (Killing of French people) and in order to warn of all risk of trouble to public order, the prefect of Haute-Savoie has imposed a ban on all demonstrations on Thursday at Annecy.
"These calls to demonstrate could in effect be considered a provocation and risk attracting counter-demonstrations of trouble and violence."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
