French police reported Thursday, at least five individuals were stabbed in southeast France, including four children as young as three years old. They also stated that an adult and a youngster were in critical condition.
Although the reason for the stabbing is still unknown, the police reported that a male suspect had been brought into custody.
The interior ministry announced that later today, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne will fly to Annecy.
Following the incident, French President Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter saying: "The nation is in shock."
"Absolute cowardice this morning in a park in Annecy. Children and an adult are between life and death. The nation is in shock. Our thoughts are with them, their families, and the emergency services," Macron tweeted.
In another tweet, Health Minister François Braun added his sentiments to those of the stab attack victims.
"All my thoughts go immediately to the people injured by an individual armed with a knife in Annecy, and to their loved ones," Braun wrote.
"I salute the rapid mobilisation of the emergency services to take care of the victims, and notably the Urgent Medical Aid Service (SAMU)."
The members of the French National Assembly also conducted a moment of silence in honour of the stab victims.
The attack occurred at 9:45 am local time while a group of school kids were on a guided excursion to Lake Annecy in the south of the nation, the French National Police informed NBC News.
The attack was described as "appalling" by Annecy's mayor, François Astorg.