French authorities have revealed new details about the suspect arrested for stabbing three women at Paris metro stations on December 26, 2025. The 25-year-old man, identified as a Malian national born in 2000, was apprehended at his home in the Val d'Oise region north of Paris using surveillance camera footage and mobile phone tracking data.
According to the French Ministry of Interior, the suspect had been imprisoned in January 2024 for convictions of aggravated theft and sexual assault. After his release in July, he was issued an OQTF (Obligation to Leave French Territory) deportation order. However, he could not be deported due to failure to obtain the required consular travel documents from Mali, and was released from administrative detention after the legal maximum of 90 days.
The attacks occurred between 4:15 PM and 4:45 PM at three metro stations on Line 3: République, Arts et Métiers, and Opéra. The suspect allegedly stabbed one woman at each station before fleeing. All three victims sustained superficial wounds and their lives are not in danger, though two were hospitalized for treatment.
Investigators have ruled out a terrorist motive, with authorities describing the suspect as "mentally unstable." Transport police have opened an investigation into attempted homicide and assault with a weapon. The case has reignited debate in France over the effectiveness of the OQTF deportation system, following similar incidents involving migrants with outstanding deportation orders.
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