The terrorism hypothesis has been ruled out at this stage in the investigation into a parcel explosion that injured three people in Monaco, French broadcaster BFMTV reported Tuesday, citing a source close to the inquiry.
The blast occurred at around 9 pm (1900GMT) Monday outside a residential building in the principality, leaving two victims seriously injured and a third with lighter injuries.
Prosecutors had initially described the incident as "likely an attack," before Monaco's Minister of State Christophe Mirmand urged caution over the legal classification of the case, calling for restraint in drawing conclusions.
The suspect reportedly remains on the run and is being actively searched for by authorities, with a significant security operation deployed across Monaco and the nearby French border area.
French gendarmerie units have been mobilized in support of Monaco police, along with two helicopters, as part of the ongoing search operation.
Investigators believe the suspect fled on foot to the neighboring French commune of Beausoleil after placing the explosive device, before his trail was lost. He has not yet been formally identified.
Monaco's dense surveillance network, covering around 2 square kilometers (0.75 square miles), includes more than 1,200 cameras, while Beausoleil is also heavily monitored.
Initial reports suggesting the presence of bolts and metal fragments inside the device have not been confirmed by forensic police.
The nature of the explosive is currently being analyzed as the investigation continues.
