Orthodox Priest Shot At, Wounded in France Church, President Deploys Force to Protect Sites

A Greek Orthodox priest was shot and badly wounded on Saturday at a church in the French city of Lyon by an assailant who then fled, a police source and witnesses said.

There was no clear indication of a motive in the hours after the attack, and officials gave no indication that it was terrorism-related. Police and judicial sources said anti-terrorism prosecutors had not been brought in. The priest was fired on twice at around 4 p.m. (1500 GMT) as he was closing the church, and he was being treated for life-threatening injuries, the police source said.

Witnesses said the church, in the centre of the city, was Greek Orthodox. Another police source said the priest was of Greek nationality, and had been able to tell emergency services as they arrived that he had not recognised his assailant.

A Greek government official identified the priest as Nikolaos Kakavelakis. A suspect was arrested…

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