France Acid Attack: Four American Women Attacked With Acid At Busy Marseille Railway Station
Four American women tourists were hospitalized following an acid attack at a train station in France. According to an ABC News report, the acid attack happened at the main train station in Marseille, a port city in southern France. Initial reports say that the attack was carried out by a woman. Authorities who launched an investigation into the attack and have not yet ruled out a terrorism angle. Authorities have yet to reveal the identity of the four victims and have arrested the woman perpetrator who is reportedly 41-years-old. All four victims were said to be in their 20s.
According to initial reports, the acid attack took place at the busy Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles train station. Two of the victims had the acid sprayed on their face, and at least one of them have suffered a possible eye injury, authorities added. According to the spokesperson for the Marseille prosecutor’s office, the corrosive liquid used in the attack was later confirmed to be hydrochloric acid. The spokesperson also confirmed that they are looking at all possible angles – including terrorism. Eyewitness accounts have confirmed that the attacker did not yell out any terror-linked threats. The identity of the four victims remains under wraps as of now. Their families back home in the U.S. have been informed, officials said. There is no word on their current medical condition.
This acid attack in Marseille comes just days after an improvised explosive device went off on a train in London. More than 29 people were injured in Friday’s attack, which happened at the busy Parsons Green Underground Station during the morning rush hour. No one was killed in the incident. The London Metropolitan Police later confirmed that the incident was terror-related and that the perpetrators had used an improvised explosive device to carry out the attack. Many of the victims were treated for flash burns. Two arrests have been made since that attack, and an investigation is still underway. Hours after the attack, the threat level in the UK was raised to critical. Two days later, authorities decided to reduce the terror threat level.
US tourists hospitalized after acid attack in France https://t.co/gakxPzRWIw via @dw_europe #EU pic.twitter.com/3qP4FuQ9yr
— EUwatchers (@EUwatchers) September 17, 2017
France has also seen a spate of terror attacks in the recent past and only a thorough investigation will reveal whether this latest incident was also a terror attack targeted at American citizens traveling overseas.
[Featured Image By Claude Paris/ AP Images]
