Knife attack in French city of Nice

By Rob Picheta and Nick Thompson, CNN

Updated 7:01 p.m. ET, October 29, 2020
3 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
5:50 a.m. ET, October 29, 2020

Macron to travel to Nice later on Thursday

French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Nice on Thursday after participating in a crisis meeting at the Interior Ministry, the Elysee Palace has said.

The country's Prime Minister Jean Castex led lawmakers in a moment of silence at the National Assembly on Thursday morning after news of the incident broke.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex (second from left, behind the lower desk) leads lawmakers in a moment of silence at the National Assembly in Paris on Thursday, in tribute to the victims of a knife attack in Nice.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex (second from left, behind the lower desk) leads lawmakers in a moment of silence at the National Assembly in Paris on Thursday, in tribute to the victims of a knife attack in Nice. Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, wrote on Twitter that he has spoken with Macron over the phone this morning, adding that the President passed on his thanks to local police.

5:45 a.m. ET, October 29, 2020

Two dead in Nice attack, mayor says

From CNN's Barbara Wojazer in Paris

French authorities enter to search the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice as forensics officers wait outside on Thursday.
French authorities enter to search the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice as forensics officers wait outside on Thursday. Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

Two people have been killed and a third is in a life-threatening condition after a knife attack in the French city of Nice, according to local mayor Christian Estrosi.

“At this moment, we have, without any doubt, two dead inside the church, in a horrible way,” Estrosi said.

Video from the scene posted to social media showed emergency services responding to the incident.

Medics are “trying everything to save the life of a third victim who was able to flee," Estrosi said.

He said the attacker was shot by police, but is alive.

5:32 a.m. ET, October 29, 2020

Police respond to 'terrorist attack' in French city of Nice

From CNN's Barbara Wojazer in Paris

French policemen stand guard on a street in Nice, France, following a knife attack on Thursday, October 29.
French policemen stand guard on a street in Nice, France, following a knife attack on Thursday, October 29. Valery Hache/AFP/Getty images

Police in the French coastal city of Nice are responding to a knife attack in the vicinity of a church, which the local mayor has described as a "terrorist attack."

Mayor Christian Estrosi said the attacker has been taken into custody.

"I am on the scene with the police who arrested the attacker. Everything points to a terrorist attack," Estrosi tweeted Thursday morning.

France's Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said he was chairing a crisis meeting at the ministry in response to the attack.

There is no official information yet on the condition of victims.