France: Knife-Wielding Tunisian Shot and Killed by Police in Marseille

Hat tip Gates of Vienna, Vlad Tepes, and Francois de Souche

Today in Marseille, police shot and killed a 35-year-old Tunisian man, identified only as Abdelkader D., after he stormed a hotel, armed with a knife and stabbed approximately five people. When police responded, he refused orders to drop his knife and began to charge the officers, yelling, “Allahu Akbar“. Police responded by shooting and killing him.

The man was reportedly in the country legally, but was known to police. He was reportedly being kicked out of the hotel for non-payment of rent.

The French blog, Francois de Souche  (via Le Figaro) has a video of the shooting. (viewer discretion advised.) We are in the process of translating French reports on the incident.

*Update (9-2-2025): From Paris Match. Translation by Fousesquawk.

Victims in critical condition, Tunisian suspect dead…. What we know about the knife attack in Marseille

By Martin Regley and Florian Tardif

September 2, 2025 at 16:54, Updated  September 2, 2025 at 19:54

The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 2 in the 1st arrondissement of Marseille. The man, of Tunisian nationality, injured several people with a knife before being taken down on the street by law enforcement.

A man was killed by police officers on Tuesday, September 2, on the streets of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) as he was walking with two knives and an iron bar in the 1st Arrondissement of (Marseille), Paris Match has learned, confirming information from our colleagues at BFMTV.

One victim is in an “extremely critical” condition, two others are in critical condition

The incident occurred in front of a kebab shop on Belsunce, a thoroughfare located near the Canebiere and Vieux-Port (old port), shortly before 3 pm. Several minutes before being shot and killed, the assailant had attacked 5 people inside a hotel.

According to a police source, a man of about 50, stabbed in the chest, is in “extremely critical” condition. Two men, one aged 38 and the other 74, are in critical condition and are suffering from injuries to the abdomen and back. Finally, two other persons, ages 18 and 35, injured in the face, were treated, but their (condition is not critical).

Suspect of Tunisian nationality

In a video disseminated by several people on the Internet, can be seen 4 police officers ordering the man to drop his weapons. Faced with his refusal, one of them fires his taser, but the assailant approached the police. That is when several of them opened fire.

According to information given to Paris Match, the knife attack occurred during an altercation between the perpetrator, a Tunisian national, and hotel personnel. The assailant injured the manager of the hotel, as well as a client, with a long knife. The perpetrator is named Abdelkader D., (but) he is also known under several aliases.

“A criminal journey”, says the Marseille prosecutor

After going to the scene of the attack, Nicolas Bessonne, the Republic Prosecutor of Marseille, lamented the “criminal journey” during which the suspect tried to stab people, blindly and gratuitously. 

An investigation has been opened and assigned to the Marseille Judicial Police. At the moment, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) is “currently monitoring the procedure followed by the Marseille prosecutor’s Office,” it indicates. Investigators from the anti-terrorist sub-directorate (SDAT), based in Lavallois (Haurs-de-Seine) have traveled to Marseille to conduct an assessment.

Following the attack, Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau announced he was going to Marseille on Tuesday evening, September 2. His arrival is scheduled around 8:30 pm, the (Ministry) stated.

Source: http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2025/09/france-knife-wie4lding-tunisian-shot.html