Two tourists injured in knife attack at Acropolis, suspect arrested
A man attacked a couple with a knife at the entrance to the Acropolis archaeological site and was arrested by Athens police shortly afterwards.
Euronews Europe
Two American tourists were injured in a stabbing near the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, the morning of Tuesday, July 21, local officials said.
The victims, a 73-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman, were attacked by a 60-year-old man wielding a knife near the entrance to the tourist attraction and archaeological site, Reuters reported, citing a police official.
The attack took place near the ticket office about 8 a.m. local time, Ethnos reported. The news outlet reported that, before the stabbings, the suspect had reportedly threatened other people in the area.
“We just heard people screaming and a crowd running away, so we obviously took cover,” Tracey Dewey, a visitor from Cape Town, South Africa, told Reuters.
A police official said the victims “were offered medical aid” and that their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.
Motive unknown in Acropolis stabbing
It was not immediately known who the victims are or where they are from in the United States.
The suspect’s name was also not immediately released, but Reuters reported that he had previously been hospitalized “on mental health grounds, and that he had been previously arrested for allegedly possessing a knife.”
Despite the attack, the tourist attraction and museum remained open Tuesday.
This is a developing story.
Contributing: Reuters
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.