The man who is suspected of having attacked three people with a knife on Saturday in Antony, in the Paris region, was indicted for attempted murders "because of race, ethnicity or religion".
The respondent "explained his gesture by the origin of the victims", including Roma.
A man suffering from psychological disorders and suspected of having attacked with a knife three people, including two of Romanian origin, on Saturday in Antony was indicted for attempted murders "because of race, ethnicity or religion, "the Nanterre public prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.
"The origin of the victims" triggered the aggression
This circumstance of racism was retained "at this stage of the opening of the judicial investigation" because the defendant "explained his gesture by the origin of the victims", in particular Roma, specified the prosecution.
The objective of the judicial information opened Monday is to "dig into this aspect in order to have the elements to retain (the circumstance of racism) or not in fine", he added.
Saturday evening, a man seriously injured two women and a young man with stab wounds in Antony, in Hauts-de-Seine, a city of more than 60,000 inhabitants located in the southern suburbs of Paris.
Significant psychological disorders
According to a police source, the respondent has significant psychological disorders, schizophrenic type.
Two of the victims were of Romanian origin, according to the prosecution: a young man of 19 and a woman, whose identity was not known and who was still in intensive care on Tuesday.
The third victim, 59, was also still hospitalized.