LYON, France — On Saturday (Oct. 31), a Greek Orthodox priest who was closing a church in the French city of Lyon was shot twice with a sawed-off shotgun by a lone assailant who is currently on the run, CNN reports.

The priest, a Greek citizen, is reportedly being treated in a local hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds to the abdomen.

According to The Associated Press, police closed off the mostly residential neighborhood around the church, and detained one person who appeared to match the description of the gunman, but was not armed at the time of his arrest.

But it has yet to be confirmed that the detained individual is, in fact, the alleged gunman. 

The reason for the shooting also remains unclear at this time.

The incident occurred only two days after three people were killed in a knife attack at a church in Nice. An investigation into that incident is underway but French President Emmanuel Macron has said the country was under attack by "Islamist and terrorist madness."

In a pre-recorded interview, Macron told reporters that violence carried by "some extremist movements and individuals in the name of Islam" is "a problem for all of us."

CNN reports that after the attack in Nice, France raised its national terror alert guidance to its highest "emergency" level and up to 4,000 military personnel were being be deployed to boost security at schools, churches and other places of worship.