Former Liverpool player Anthony Le Tallec found himself caught up in a horrifying playground attack in Annecy, France, where four children were stabbed. Recounting the terrifying incident, Le Tallec, 38, revealed that he had to shout at the police to shoot the knife-wielding assailant as he witnessed a father being stabbed. The ex-footballer captured the distressing scenes on video and later shared his account on Instagram.
Le Tallec, who also played for local side FC Annecy, was jogging near Lake Annecy when he noticed a wave of panicked people rushing in the opposite direction, signaling that something was terribly wrong. Despite being warned by a mother to flee, Le Tallec initially continued his jog through the park, but soon found himself face-to-face with the attacker.
As the assailant approached a group of elderly individuals, Le Tallec urged the police to take action. “Then they start shooting, they shoot at the person, right in front of me, and he falls to the ground,” Le Tallec described. However, he also expressed his astonishment at the slow response of the police, emphasizing that the attacker had enough time to stab the father twice.
The assailant, identified as a 31-year-old Syrian asylum seeker with Swedish identity documents, allegedly shouted “in the name of Jesus Christ” as he carried out the stabbing spree. Disturbing footage of the attack shows the assailant vaulting over a low wall fence into a children’s playground, repeatedly lunging at a child’s stroller while a woman tries to defend against him.
The children injured in the attack ranged in age from 22 months to three years. Le Paquier park, where the incident occurred, is a popular spot for both locals and tourists who visit Annecy to enjoy boating on the lake and hiking in the nearby mountains.
Eyewitnesses recounted the shock and horror they experienced during the attack. Ferdinand, who witnessed the incident, described how the assailant targeted the strollers, mercilessly attacking the little ones with a knife. Dominique Griziaux, an Annecy resident, expressed his disbelief at such a violent act occurring in a peaceful and picturesque environment like Annecy, emphasizing the unimaginable suffering inflicted upon the parents and grandparents involved.
French authorities have identified the alleged attacker as Abdalmash H, a Syrian asylum seeker who possessed Swedish identity documents. The investigation is ongoing, and the motive behind the attack is still being determined.