Knife attack in Marseille: police kills assailer who wounded four

A man wounded two pedestrians in a knife attack in the southern French city of Marseille on Tuesday, before being shot and wounded by police, officials said.The motive of the assailant is unclear.

Police shot and killed Marseille knife attacker Philippe HUGUEN / AFP

The attack took place in the centre of the port city, the second largest in France.

Police said they shot the assailant when he threatened them with a weapon.

According to the online version of local La Provence newspaper, the four people wounded were three men of 23, 27 and 35 years old and a woman of 52 years old. Two of them were in critical condition.

The online publication reports that the assailant was a 36 years old homeless male from the city who was known to the police in relation to a murder committed in 2003.