Children stabbed in knife attack in Annecy, France

PARIS — Four young children and one adult were stabbed in a knife attack in a French alpine town on Thursday, police said.

The suspect was arrested but a motive was unclear, police said.

Police said the children were as young as three years old and that three of those injured — two children and the adult — were in a serious condition. Two other children were “slightly hurt,” police said.

President Emmanuel Macron said in a tweet that the suspect had carried out “an attack of cowardice” and said those injured were “between life and death.”

Lawmakers in the French Parliament interrupted a debate to hold a minute’s silence following news of the attack.

A group of school children were on a supervised trip to Lake Annecy in the country’s south when the attack happened at 9.45 a.m. local time (3:45 a.m. ET), the French National Police told NBC News.

Police said the attack took place in Le Pâquier d’Annecy, a park on the north side of the lake, which has a children’s play area and spectacular views across the lake and surrounding mountains.

They initially gave a higher count of those injured, but later revised the tally down.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said in a tweet that the suspect “was arrested thanks to the very rapid intervention of the police.”

François Astorg, the mayor of Annecy, called the attack “appalling” and said there would be a news conference at 12.30 p.m. on Thursday (6.30 a.m. ET).

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates soon.

Nancy Ing reported from Paris, and Patrick Smith reported from London.