A gunman firing from a car killed one person and wounded at least five others in Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, on Friday. According to The Hindu, Macron called the Trappes shooting "a racist terror attack."
The Hindu reports that the gunman fired from a vehicle at three locations. Among the wounded was a 12-year-old girl. Guardian World reports that she was shot eight times and was being treated in hospital.
According to The Hindu, Macron said the suspect’s statements suggested the attack was premeditated. The suspect has been named as Kévin T, born in 1987, according to the same report. Police arrested him less than 20 minutes after the shooting began. His car held a Sten-type submachine gun and tear gas, The Hindu reports.
The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s office opened an investigation that includes murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise with a racial, ethnic, nationality or religious aggravating circumstance, according to The Hindu. The Hindu also reports that the suspect’s apartment was booby-trapped with three gas cylinders and wires connected to a timer, and that a family member was taken into custody.
Guardian World reports that the prosecutor said the medical status of the five wounded victims was not stable. The Trappes mayor, Ali Rabeh, told the Guardian that the gunman fired at random. He called it "objectively a racist attack, probably Islamophobic."
The reports differ on the weapon. The Hindu and Guardian World describe a submachine gun, which the prosecutor’s office identified as Sten-type. BBC World reports that a local police chief described an older-style semi-automatic weapon used in bursts. Le Parisien says the weapon dated to World War Two.
The motive is also disputed. The Hindu reports that authorities described the attack as racially motivated, and Macron called it racist. BBC World reports that the exact motive remains unclear, and that the prosecutor’s office described the incident as murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.
The shooting came as France faced protests over the high cost of living. The government has deployed a larger security presence after violent unrest the previous week. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, is polling highly ahead of next spring’s presidential election, when Macron steps down.
No response from the suspect or any defence representative was reported. No independent confirmation of the stated motive has been given. The condition of the three seriously injured victims had not been updated beyond "not stable" by Friday evening. Much of the account rests on The Hindu, with partial excerpts of the BBC article, so the sequence of events relies on witnesses and officials.
Anti-terrorism prosecutors are continuing their investigation into the suspect and the possible charges. These include possession of a Category A weapon and conspiracy with a terrorist group. The investigation also covers the custody of the family member. Protests are planned for Saturday.
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This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.