Man Dubbed The ‘Backpack Hero’ After Shielding Kids & Fought Off Knife Attacker In France

Man Called The ‘Backpack Hero’ After Shielding Kids & Fought Off Knife Attacker In France

France is calling him The Backpack Hero, a young Catholic pilgrim on a walking tour of cathedrals who came face to face with the man who stabbed several children in a park in Annecy.

Henri, a 24-year old management and philosophy student, was near the playground in Le Paquier park when he saw the man attacking children in a stroller as their mother desperately tried to shield them on Thursday.

Video footage shows him trying to block the assailant with one of his two backpacks, pursuing the man into the playground and throwing one of his bags at the attacker.

 

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So far, most of France only knows him by his first name. That is all there is on his social media accounts and police have not gone into more detail.

French media have simply called him “héros au sac à dos” (the backpack hero). His only public comment so far – the message “Pray for the children, I am ok,” on his Facebook page.

Four toddlers and two pensioners were stabbed in a knife attack in the tranquil French mountain town on Thursday. Authorities said the main suspect was a Syrian refugee.

He is then seen pursuing the assailant across the wide expanse of the Le Paquier grasslands, dropping one of his backpacks to run faster, as police also start giving chase. A true hero.