ABC News(PARIS) — Before a man wielding a knife in central Paris Saturday killed one person and wounded four others, witnesses allegedly heard him shout “Allahu akbar” — Arabic for “God is great” — after which ISIS reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
Paris Prosecutor François Molins told reporters the evening’s bloodshed, where authorities confirmed an attacker wielding a knife murdered one person, is already being investigated to determine whether it was an act of terror.
“Based on testimony of eyewitnesses who said they heard the attacker saying [Allahu] Akbar and because of the method of the attack it’s the anti-terror unit who is in charge of the investigation,” he said.
Hours after the incident the terrorist group ISIS claimed the killer as one of its “soldiers,” the Associated Press reported.
Pierre Gaudin, the Paris Police Prefecture director, said five people were assaulted. The attack happened just after 9 p.m. in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, rue Monsigny, he said.
The alleged assailant was shot by the police and was pronounced dead.
“The police intervened immediately and the individual died,” he said.
In addition to the person who died, two others were seriously injured and were transferred to George Pompidou Hospital, he added. Two other victims sustained minor injuries.
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