Annecy Knife Attack
A man stabbed six people, including four toddlers, at a lakeside playground in Annecy, France, in June 2023. All survived. The suspect, Abdalmasih Hanoun, a Syrian refugee who had been living in Sweden, was charged with attempted murder and in June 2026 was ordered to stand trial before an assize court; he has not yet been tried.
- Status
- Pending Trial
- Type
- Multiple Homicide
- Date
- June 8, 2023
- Location
- Annecy, France
- Victims
- Multiple
- Decade
- 2020s
- Open
- Partly resolved
- Charges or trialPending Trial
- Closed
A defendant is awaiting trial and is presumed innocent unless convicted.
Case background and investigation
On June 8, 2023, a man attacked people with a knife at the Paquier gardens playground in Annecy, a lakeside town in the French Alps. He stabbed four toddlers in strollers and two adults.
The children, aged between 22 and 36 months, suffered serious injuries including one who was stabbed in the chest. Bystanders, including a Catholic pilgrim named Henri, tackled the attacker.
The suspect was identified as Abdalmasih H., a 31-year-old Syrian refugee who had been granted asylum in Sweden. French psychiatric experts later found his judgment was impaired but that he remains criminally responsible.
All six victims survived. The attack shocked France and was described by President Macron as 'absolute cowardice.' The attacker was charged with attempted murder.
Timeline
-
June 8, 2023Man stabs six people, including four toddlers, in Annecy.
-
June 2, 2026Investigating judges order the suspect to stand trial before the assize court for attempted murders.
Sources
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Have information about this case?
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- The police force or sheriff's office responsible for Annecy
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Entry last updated September 29, 2026.
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