A British child is one of four who sustained “life-threatening injuries” after the assault in Annecy, France. A man with “legal refugee status” from Syria has been apprehended.
This type of event never occurs here.
Since the unexpected and senseless injury of four young children and two adults in a playground, residents of the French city of Annecy have repeatedly echoed this sentiment.
Nobody anticipates such a violent assault aimed at the tiniest and most vulnerable members of their community. However, this event has left individuals shaken.
I visited the playground a few hours after the attack, as residents gathered to lay flowers – predominantly white roses – in honor of the injured.
Moments after the attack, I encountered Makram Attia, a delivery man who was on the street adjacent to the park that surrounds the playground.
He witnessed the suspect’s dramatic apprehension.
“I never imagined it could be an attack in a children’s park in Annecy; it’s impossible.” “I had no idea what was going on,” he said.
“People were everywhere fleeing. I wondered what it could be.
“As soon as we learned that there had been an attack on elderly people and children, we became extremely alarmed.”
Mr. Attia brought his daughters, Amine, 11, and Lilia, 9, with him when he returned to the park to place a rose on the playground’s wall.
Both students attend a school near the park.
Amine was in technology class when he was informed that a terrible event had occurred nearby.
“We were unable to leave before they apprehended the man,” he said.
I inquired, “Was it scary?”
“Yes. Everyone freaked out. We opened the windows and listened to the police and firemen,” he said.
After the calamity, Mr. Attia felt it was imperative to bring the children to this location.
“We visit this location every weekend. It is a common occurrence for children to play in this park every weekend during the summer.
“It’s dreadful. I am at a loss for words to characterize this attack on children. That cannot be!”
