2020 Romans-sur-Isère knife attack

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = 2020 Romans-sur-Isère knife attack

| partof = Islamic terrorism in Europe

| location = Romans-sur-Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

| date = 4 April 2020

| time = 10:45 a.m. CET

| target = Civilians

| weapons = Knife

| fatalities = 2

| injuries = 5

| perp = Abdallah Ahmed-Osman

| motive = Jihadism (Islamic terrorism) {{Cite web |url=https://www.europol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/tesat_2021.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=22 June 2021 |archive-date=22 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622143514/https://www.europol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/tesat_2021.pdf |url-status=dead }}

| coordinates = {{coord|45|02|47|N|05|03|06|E|display=inline,title}}

}}

In late morning on 4 April 2020, a knife attack occurred in Romans-sur-Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, resulting in the death of two people and the wounding of five others.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Drôme. Attaque à Romans : Abdallah Ahmed-Osman placé en détention provisoire à la prison de la Santé|url=https://www.ledauphine.com/faits-divers-justice/2020/04/08/drome-attaque-a-romans-sur-isere-abdallah-ahmed-osman-devant-un-juge-d-instruction-antiterroriste|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101094607/https://www.ledauphine.com/faits-divers-justice/2020/04/08/drome-attaque-a-romans-sur-isere-abdallah-ahmed-osman-devant-un-juge-d-instruction-antiterroriste|archive-date=2021-01-01|access-date=2021-01-01|website=www.ledauphine.com|language=FR-fr}} The attacker, Abdallah Ahmed-Osman, a 33-year old Sudanese refugee, was charged with terrorist crimes.

Attack

The attacker entered a tobacco shop, where he stabbed the two owners and a customer, wounding them; he went on to a butcher's shop, where he stole a knife and killed a customer. He then killed another man, the owner of a local theatre who died shielding his twelve-year-old son, and then wounded two people waiting in line outside a bakery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/attaque-de-romans-sur-isere-les-deux-hommes-tues-s-appelaient-thierry-et-julien-20200405|title=Attaque de Romans-sur-Isère : les deux hommes tués s'appelaient Thierry et Julien|last=Poyet|first=Stanislas|date=2020-04-05|website=Le Figaro.fr|language=fr|access-date=2020-04-12}}

The suspect was a 33-year-old Sudanese man who had obtained refugee status and a 10-year visa in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://actu.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/romans-sur-isere_26281/attaque-terroriste-romans-sur-isere-these-terroriste-ne-fait-pas-doute_32800007.html|title=Attaque au couteau de Romans-sur-Isère. La thèse terroriste ne fait pas de doute|website=actu.fr|language=fr-FR|access-date=2020-04-12}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sudouest.fr/2020/04/05/attaque-de-romans-sur-isere-le-point-sur-l-enquete-7388574-6093.php|title=Attaque de Romans-sur-Isère : le point sur l'enquête|website=sudouest.fr|language=French|date=5 April 2020}} According to Arabic-speaking witnesses, he shouted "Allah Akbar" when he launched his attack and, at the time of his arrest, kneeled down and recited the Shahada, the Muslim profession of faith.{{Cite web|url=https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/attaque-de-romans-qui-est-l-auteur-des-agressions-et-pourquoi-est-il-passe-a-l-acte-1586025523|title=Attaque au couteau à Romans-sur-Isère : ce que l'on sait de l'assaillant et des possibles raisons de son geste|date=2020-04-04|website=France Bleu|language=fr|access-date=2020-04-12}} A terrorism investigation was launched. Searches at his home revealed handwritten notes complaining about living in a "country of disbelievers".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/terrorisme/20200404.OBS27072/romans-sur-isere-les-premiers-elements-de-l-enquete.html|title=Attaque de Romans-sur-Isère : les premiers éléments de l'enquête|website=L'Obs|date=4 April 2020 |language=fr|access-date=2020-04-12}} On 8 April, he was indicted for "assassinations and attempted assassinations in connection with a terrorist group".{{Cite web|url=https://www.laprovence.com/actu/en-direct/5956061/attaque-au-couteau-a-romans-sur-isere-lassaillant-mis-en-examen-indique-le-parquet-national-antiterrorist|title=Attaque au couteau à Romans-sur-Isère : l'assaillant mis en examen, indique le parquet national antiterroriste|date=2020-04-08|website=LaProvence.com|language=fr|access-date=2020-04-12}}

The attack occurred during the national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France.{{cite news |last1=Figaro |first1=Le |title=Attaque à Romans-sur-Isère : le parquet national antiterroriste se saisit |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/attaque-dans-la-drome-le-parquet-national-antiterroriste-se-saisit-20200404 |accessdate=5 April 2020 |work=Le Figaro.fr |date=4 April 2020 |language=fr}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52165522|title=France knife attack leaves two dead|date=2020-04-04|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-04-04|language=en-GB}}