Trappes shooting: terror investigation opens
French President Emmanuel Macron called the 15-minute attack a 'racist terrorist attack' after one person died and five were wounded.
By Natalia Thornton ·
Residents of Trappes and La Verrière face heightened security checks and a heavy police presence after a 15-minute drive-by shooting left one person dead and five wounded. Three of the injured, including a 12-year-old girl, remain in serious condition. The suspect, identified by French media as 39-year-old Kevin T, is in custody.
The violence began when a gunman fired from a grey Renault Clio at a petrol station, a medical centre and a playground in Trappes, southwest of Paris, before moving to nearby La Verrière. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said the suspect 'fired randomly' in an effort to cause 'as many casualties as possible'. A police union official said he was detained on La Verriere's main road.
French President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene and described the incident as 'a racist terrorist attack'. He stated it marked a 'turning point in the life of our Republic and our nation' and noted it was the first time France had seen a random racial killing of this kind.
The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) opened a case covering murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, possession of a Category A weapon, and conspiracy with a terrorist group to prepare crimes against persons. A local police chief told BFMTV the weapon used was an older-style semi-automatic firearm, while Le Parisien reported the gun dated back to World War Two.
Records show the suspect has four previous convictions that were automatically expunged. Local media report he was known to police but not to intelligence services, and the prosecutor's office told BFMTV he was not on a list of people regarded as a serious threat to French security. A member of his immediate family circle was also taken into custody on Friday.
The mother of the injured 12-year-old told RTL her daughter suffered eight gunshot wounds and required surgery. She said her daughter wears a headscarf and questioned whether that was the reason for the attack, adding, 'She's a child who was born in France, in Trappes. She has the right to live in France, to make her life in France.' The precise motive has not been established.
Source: BBC News
