Three dead in knife attack at French basilica
CNA Staff, Oct 29, 2020 / 03:40 am (CNA).- An attacker killed three people at a church in Nice and wounded others, police in the French city said Thursday.
The incident took place at the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice Oct. 29 at around 9am local time, according to French media.
Christian Estrosi, Nice’s mayor, said that the perpetrator, who was armed with a knife, was shot and arrested by the municipal police.
He said in a video posted to Twitter that the attacker repeatedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" during and after the attack.
The police have confirmed to that three people died in the attack and several were injured, according to Reuters.
Estrosi wrote on Twitter that two of the victims were killed inside the basilica. He paid tribute to the church’s guardian who he said was “so appreciated by the parishioners.”
In another tweet, he wrote: “I confirm that everything suggests a terrorist attack in the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice.”
Bouleversé par les 3 victimes dont 2 décédées a l’intérieur de la Basilique #NotreDame et notamment le gardien si apprécié par les paroissiens. #Nice06 a payé un trop lourd tribu au meme titre que notre pays depuis quelques années. J’appelle à l’unité des Niçois.
— Christian Estrosi (@cestrosi) October 29, 2020 The basilica, completed in 1868, is the largest church in Nice, but is not the city’s cathedral.
Archbishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, president of the French bishops' conference, wrote on Twitter that he was praying for Catholics in Nice and for their bishop, Bishop André Marceau.
Ma prière toute spéciale encore pour les diocésains de Nice et Mgr Marceau, leur éveque. Qu'ils sachent se soutenir dans cette épreuve et soutenir ceux qui sont éprouvés dans leur chair.
— Mgr de Moulins-Beaufort (@Mgr_EMB) October 29, 2020
The attack follows the beheading of a Paris school teacher in an Islamist terror attack earlier this month.
Estrosi said that he had spoken to Emmanuel Macron about the incident and that the French president would visit Nice late morning.
This is a developing story and is being updated.
