Tuesday afternoon in the bustling heart of Marseille turned into a nightmare straight out of a horror film. At around 3 p.m., chaos erupted when a 35-year-old man stormed through a hotel near the city’s famous Vieux-Port, armed with two massive butcher’s knives. Within minutes, five people lay bleeding — among them the hotel owner, his son, and a guest. One victim is now fighting for his life.

What sparked this frenzy? A dispute over money. The man had just been kicked out of the hotel for failing to pay his bill. Instead of walking away, he turned his humiliation into savage violence, unleashing a bloody rampage. Inside the hotel, panic spread like wildfire — screams, blood on the floor, bodies collapsing under the sheer brutality of his blows.

But the horror didn’t end there. Fueled by rage, he charged into the street, knives flashing, targeting innocent passersby. Witnesses described a scene of sheer terror: “He was screaming, swinging the knives wildly, his eyes full of rage. People were running in every direction.” Tourists fled in panic, shopkeepers bolted their doors, and the once-lively square descended into chaos.

Police raced to the scene, desperately trying to contain the attacker. Officers shouted commands, urging him to drop his weapons. He ignored every warning. Instead, he lunged straight at them, blades raised, ready to spill more blood. In a split-second decision, an officer fired. The man collapsed, shot dead in the very street he had terrorized moments before.

The Vieux-Port — usually a symbol of Marseille’s charm and vibrancy — became the backdrop of a gruesome spectacle. Locals are shaken and furious: “How can something like this happen in broad daylight? Why are dangerous individuals still roaming free until they explode like this?” one outraged resident demanded.

As victims cling to life in hospital beds and families drown in grief, Marseille is left questioning its safety. Officials insist there are no signs of terrorism, labeling the attack the act of a lone, unstable man. But to many, that offers little comfort. The reality remains: one disturbed individual turned a thriving city center into a blood-soaked battlefield.

The outrage is palpable. Citizens demand answers, protection, and action. “We cannot live like this, constantly wondering if the next attack will come when we’re out shopping or walking with our children,” another witness said with trembling anger.

For now, the only certainty is that Marseille will never forget the day an unpaid hotel bill spiraled into horror — leaving behind blood, fear, and a city demanding justice.