The public prosecutor in Bordeaux, France, announced that the Afghan migrant who killed one person and injured another on Wednesday evening, before being shot by the police, acted out of a belief that his Algerian victims were drinking alcohol on the first day of Eid al-Fitr. Eyewitness testimonies collected indicated that the assailant initially criticized the two men, who were from Qas in northeastern Algeria, "for reasons related to drinking alcohol," before "delivering punches" to them.
During a press conference on Thursday, the Republic's prosecutor in Bordeaux, Frédérique Portori, stated that the two victims threw "containers (of drinks) at the attacker." The suspect then returned with a knife and began stabbing them. She emphasized that "there is no indication of a terrorist attack."
According to European asylum seeker databases, the assailant is a 25-year-old Afghan. French judicial authorities reported that he had previously confronted other individuals over claims related to Eid al-Fitr. An investigation has been opened, one for "murder" and "attempted murder," and another to examine the circumstances under which the assailant was killed by the police. Based on initial evidence, the investigation notes the legitimate right of police officers to defend themselves during the incident.
The deceased was 37 years old and died from nine stab wounds, four of which were to the chest. The injured person, aged 26, sustained three stab wounds but is not in life-threatening condition. During his statement, the injured victim said that the assailant, whom he did not know before, "approached his friend and began to attack them, accusing them of drinking alcohol on the holiday," according to the prosecutor.
It was reported that one witness alerted the police to the incident, and officers approached the scene "and repeatedly asked the attacker to drop his weapon." However, "when the latter changed direction and approached them while holding his knife in a threatening manner, the police officer used his weapon," an assault rifle, to "neutralize the attacker," resulting in his death.
The prosecutor further noted that based on testimonies collected on Thursday afternoon, the assailant had earlier on Wednesday in the same area attacked two other individuals "because they were drinking wine on the holiday," struck them, and then "displayed a knife" before proceeding on his way.