Police in Monaco are engaged in a manhunt for a suspect following a shocking explosion in the principality. Prior to the explosion, surveillance footage revealed a man leaving a backpack in an apartment building lobby. The three individuals injured in the blast are in a precarious state, with two of them in an absolutely critical state. ABC's Tom Sufi Burridge has more information.
Tom, what do we know about the attack and the suspect? >> Yeah, this was a shocking attack, Diane. It happened late last night. The public prosecutor says a man came to the building and left a package near the entrance. Then, three people came to the entrance and the package exploded. It's believed that there was an improvised explosive device in the package. But the authorities in Monaco are still testing it and investigating. The suspect is thought to have fled into France and the police are working with their French colleagues to catch him. The public prosecutor is hopeful that the suspect can be caught quickly. There is talk that one of the victims is a Ukrainian oligarch called Vadim Yermallay and his partner and son were also hurt. But this has not been officially confirmed. In fact, the public prosecutor has stated that the attack does not appear to be a terrorist attack, but rather a targeted assault on the Ukrainian oligarch and those close to him.
The investigation into the explosion is ongoing, with the authorities working to determine the motive behind the attack. Violent crime is extremely rare in Monaco, which is a wealthy principality located on France's southern coast near Nice. Prince Albert of Monaco has condemned the attack, describing it as an odious act that has shocked the entire community.
