Paris knife attack: 7, including 2 British tourist, injured; suspect arrested

Reuters photo

Paris: Seven persons, including two British tourists, were injured in a knife attack by a man in downtown Paris late on Sunday. 

According to the latest update, French police have detained the suspect. Any link to terrorism has also been ruled out.

Four of the victims suffered severe wounds and are in a critical condition.

The incident took place just after 11:00 pm (2100 GMT) on the banks of a canal in the northeast of Paris.

The suspect, an Afghan national, chased pedestrians with a knife and an iron bar. Initially, the attacker stabbed three people near the MK2 cinema. Later, Petanque players who saw what happened then intervened, throwing metal balls at the attacker, but it was reportedly not enough to stop him.

One person was "stabbed in the head",  while the other was "cut in the chest".

A police investigation has been launched in to the incident.