A 24-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder following a violent hammer attack on his friend in Arches, Vosges, eastern France. The suspect was formally presented before an investigating judge on Saturday after the Thursday assault that left the victim hospitalized with serious injuries. The public prosecutor's office in Épinal has requested provisional detention for the accused, who faces serious criminal charges for the alleged premeditated attack.

The incident occurred when the suspect visited his friend's residence in Arches. According to statements from prosecutor Frédéric Nahon, the two men initially engaged in conversation before the situation escalated dramatically. The assailant allegedly struck his friend with "numerous hammer blows to the skull and upper body" during the violent confrontation that followed the initial exchange.

The victim, also in his twenties, managed to defend himself and escape the attack, fleeing while injured to seek refuge in a butcher shop located near his home. Meanwhile, the suspect fled the scene on foot toward the Arches train station, where gendarmerie officers apprehended him. During the arrest, investigators discovered significant evidence in his backpack, including a wig, a hammer wrapped in freezer bags with blood traces, and two train tickets.

Medical authorities confirmed the victim received treatment from firefighters and was hospitalized, with his condition no longer considered life-threatening. The suspect, who has no prior criminal record, maintained silence during police custody and provided no explanation for his actions. A psychiatric examination conducted during the investigation found no impairment or abolition of his discernment, according to official statements from the prosecutor's office.