By James Simons-
Four children and an adult have been injured in a knife attack in the picturesque town of Annecy in the French Alps.
At least three of the victims are in a critical condition in hospital, with authorities confirming that a British national was among the children injured.
According to reports, about 9.45am, a man armed with a knife entered a children’s playground near the town’s famous lake and attacked a group of children aged about three years old – including one in a pushchair .
Video footage of the attack uploaded to social media – too graphic for broadcast – shows a little playground, with life going on as normal – children running around, and their parents and minders there.
A man later comes in with a knife and very quickly, there are screams. He’s clearly looking for children to attack – and he attacks one in a pushchair.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly confirmed that one of the youngsters is British.
BFMTV reported the British national is a three-year-old girl.
A brother and sister, aged two and three, are in intensive care, BFMTV said.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, described the an act as one of “absolute cowardice” and that the nation was in shock.
Witnesses described the suspected knifeman running around in a frenzy, apparently attacking people at random, before he was stopped by police near the banks of Lake Annecy.
Cleverly, who was speaking at an OECD ministerial council press conference in France, cleverly called the attacks a “terrible act of violence” and said the British government was ready to support the French authorities in whatever way they could.
“We are also aware that one of the people, one of the children injured, was a British national,” he said. “We have already deployed British consular officials who are travelling to the area to make themselves available to support the family. And of course we stand in strong solidarity with the people of France at this terrible time.”
The former Liverpool footballer Anthony Le Tallec, who has also played for FC Annecy, was out running near the lake at the time of the attack. He described suddenly seeing dozens of people running towards him, a mother shouting: “Run, someone is stabbing everyone, he’s stabbing children!”
Le Tallec, 38, said on instagram and in later French media interviews, that he was surprised but kept running, then saw the attacker running followed by police chasing him, trying to catch him. Le Tallec said he saw the attacker then rush towards a group of elderly people where he stabbed an old man twice. Le Tallec said he had shouted at the police to shoot the man.
Le Tallec said that shortly after, he continued his run. “And then I saw, in the distance, children on the ground. It’s incredible.”
Another witness, Malo, told BFMTV that the culprit attacked the children before targeting an old man and was “shouting, but it wasn’t really comprehensible”.
Another witness told local public radio, France Bleu, that the attacker had seem “confused”.
One witness, named as Nelly, told France Info radio: “People were running, crying, panicking … it was horrible.”
The Haute-Savoie MP, Virginie Duby-Muller, told BFMTV: “I’m horrified … attacking children is abominable. It’s unthinkable what happened here this morning in a place which is so calm and peaceful, a place loved by residents and tourists alike. We’re shaken.”
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Random acts of violence, particularly those involving school children, have a profound and devastating impact on both the individuals directly affected and the wider community. This article de
Observers believe the incident is likely to leave lasting psychological trauma on the school children involved. Survivors are likely to experience shock, fear, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Nhs analyst Amber Smart said: ”The physical injuries inflicted during random stabbings can range from minor to life-threatening. School children may sustain wounds requiring immediate medical attention, surgeries, and extensive rehabilitation. Recovery from such injuries can be a long and painful process, involving physical therapy, scar management, and potential long-term disabilities.
‘The physical trauma endured can have lasting effects on their physical health, mobility, and overall quality of life.
”Random stabbings like this create a ripple effect throughout the school community. Classmates, teachers, and staff members who witness or hear about the incident may experience intense emotions such as grief, shock, and fear.
‘The sense of loss and collective trauma will most likely permeate the school environment, affecting the overall emotional well-being of students and staff. The healing process often requires the support of mental health professionals, crisis interventions, and counselling services.
‘The perpetrator definitely suffers from serious mental health issues, as is likely to emerge once police look into his history”
Image: Reuters