Briton suspected of attempting to murder neighbour in Nice undergoing psychiatric evaluation
Man who showed 'heroic courage' in stopping attack on woman aged 59-60 awarded city of Nice medal
A British man, 48 or 49, is undergoing psychiatric evaluation in Nice after allegedly attacking a female neighbour with a knife in the courtyard of the apartment building where she lives.
The Nice Parquet (public prosecutor's office) told The Connexion the incident is being treated as attempted murder.
A spokeswoman said: "While the victim, a woman born in 1966 [ie. aged 59-60], was returning home and was in the courtyard of her block of flats, she was suddenly attacked and stabbed several times.
"She sustained three wounds (one to the abdomen and two to the head). Her condition is no longer life-threatening, but she remains in hospital. The victim did not know the suspect, despite the fact that they are neighbours.
"The suspect, who had no previous criminal record, was examined by a psychiatrist while in police custody and was subsequently admitted to compulsory psychiatric care.
"A judicial investigation into the charge of attempted murder was opened on August 17 and assigned to the Nice Specialised Judicial Police Unit (SLPJ).
"An arrest warrant was issued by the investigating judge so that the suspect could be formally charged as soon as his condition permits."
Officers were called to the incident on avenue Georges Clemenceau, near the city’s train station, at around 00:30 on Sunday morning.
The man was reportedly stopped by a neighbour, who heard the woman's cries, rushed to help, and physically restrained the attacker before police arrived.
Anti-crime squad (BAC) officers, already patrolling nearby, reached the scene shortly after a phone call was made to the police emergency number 17, and they arrested the suspect.
“At first, I thought it was just two neighbours who had got into an argument.
"I could see him hitting someone who was no longer reacting. I hadn't seen the knife,” the neighbour, aged 33, who was working at his computer at the time, told Nice Matin.
Entering the courtyard to try and help the woman, he says he was threatened in English, with the attacker saying, according to Nice Matin, “don’t ***ing come or I’ll kill you.”
The neighbour said he managed to disarm the attacker and restrain him, while attempting to staunch the victim’s wounds at the same time.
You can watch an interview with the neighbour on the Nice Matin website (in French) here.
The mayor of Nice, Eric Ciotti, praised the "heroic courage" of the neighbour in a post on social media - and has now awarded him the city's medal. He is also recommending that he be put forward for a national honour.
Cette nuit à Nice, avenue Georges Clémenceau, une femme agressée sauvagement à l’arme blanche a échappé au pire grâce au courage héroïque de l’un de ses voisins.
— Eric Ciotti (@eciotti) August 16, 2026
Je salue cet homme, qui est intervenu et a réussi à maîtriser l’auteur, ainsi que l’action rapide de la BAC qui a…
The man who went to help said he recognised the victim as a neighbour and that he had seen the attacker several times recently in the building’s vicinity.
Named as Youri Lebedev, 33, self-employed, the rescuer said: "I couldn't have lived with myself knowing that a lady had died just because I was scared."
