Deadly shooting in Paris suburb investigated as terrorism, officials say
A gunman opened fire from his car in the Paris suburb of Trappes on Friday, in what authorities described as a racially motivated act of terrorism.
Key points
- A gunman firing from his car killed one person and wounded five in Trappes, near Paris, on Friday.
- French officials are treating the attack as terrorism with racist and likely Islamophobic motives.
- The suspect was arrested in Coignieres after a 15-minute attack stopped by five officers.
A gunman shooting from his car killed one person and wounded five others in the Paris suburb of Trappes on Friday, in what authorities described as a racially motivated act of terrorism. President Emmanuel Macron called it "a racist terror attack" and said the suspect's statements suggested it was premeditated.
The alleged shooter was arrested in the nearby town of Coignieres. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the attack lasted just under 15 minutes and was stopped by five officers from the anti-crime brigade.
What officials said
Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh told broadcaster BFMTV that the alleged shooter was "firing at random, wanting to cause a bloodbath" as he drove through Trappes and neighboring La Verriere. Rabeh said the gunman targeted passersby at three separate locations, including a playground, and called it a "miracle" that there were not more casualties.
Nuñez said the suspect fired "what appears to have been a military-grade weapon, or at least an automatic weapon." He said the gunman "clearly" committed "a terrorist crime" that may have been racially motivated. Prosecutors said they were investigating whether the acts targeted the "real or supposed race, ethnicity, nationality or religion" of the victims, and opened an investigation for "murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise."
This is probably one of the first attempted mass killings motivated by Islamophobia and racism.
— Ali Rabeh
Victims and security response
Officials initially said four people had been wounded, but Rabeh told reporters there were five, including three who were very seriously injured, with their lives in danger. A 12-year-old girl was seriously wounded after being shot eight times, but is in stable condition, La Verriere mayor Nicolas Dainville told Agence France-Presse. Rabeh said the person killed was "of African origin" and one of the wounded, "in critical condition, is of North African origin."
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on X that the case was "very serious" and that "all resources of the security forces and the judiciary are fully mobilised." Macron said "the nation is standing with" the victims of this "terrible ordeal."
