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A grenade attack at a bar in Grenoble, France, left 12 people injured on Wednesday night. The suspect remains at large, and authorities are actively investigating a possible link to organised crime.
The incident took place in the Olympic Village neighbourhood, built for the 1968 Winter Olympics, when a man entered the crowded bar, threw a grenade, and fled without saying a word.
A person came in and threw a grenade, apparently without saying a word, and ran away according to prosecutor François Touret-de-Courcy at the scene.
Authorities initially reported that two people were critically injured, but local Isère official Catherine Séguin later confirmed that the number had risen to six.
While the motive remains unclear, investigators do not believe the attack was an act of terrorism. “There's nothing to make us think it's linked to terrorism,” said Touret-de-Courcy, describing it as an “act of extreme violence” that could be linked to a “settling of scores.”
Magistrate Christophe Barret noted that some witnesses reported the attacker carrying a Kalashnikov-style assault rifle, though it was not used during the attack.
Grenoble mayor Eric Piolle strongly denounced the attack. “I condemn in the strongest possible terms this criminal act of extraordinary violence,” he wrote on X, while also thanking emergency responders for their swift action.
Deputy mayor Chloé Pantel told AFP that the bar is a popular gathering spot for both locals and visitors, especially during football matches.
France’s health minister Yannick Neuder is expected to visit Grenoble University Hospital on Thursday morning to meet with victims and medical staff. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau will also visit the city on Friday to discuss ongoing safety concerns.
Authorities are now exploring the possibility that the attack was related to drug trafficking or other criminal activity.
