Trappes drive-by shooting leaves one dead and five hurt in racist attack

French President Emmanuel Macron has denounced what he described as a racist terrorist attack after a drive-by shooting in towns west of Paris left one person dead and five others injured on Friday.

The violence unfolded over roughly 15 minutes around mid-morning in the Yvelines department, across the communities of Trappes and La Verriere. The shooter discharged an automatic weapon at multiple locations, including a service station, a healthcare clinic and an area where children play.

One man was killed, while five other individuals sustained injuries, including a 12-year-old girl who suffered eight gunshot wounds. On Friday night, anti-terrorism prosecutors reported that the medical condition of the wounded remained precarious.

Macron traveled to Trappes later in the evening, stating that the premeditated assault marked a grave moment for France. He argued that the attacker had specifically targeted individuals based on their skin colour, cautioning the public against allowing hatred to fracture the country and appealing for national solidarity.

The suspect, identified by French anti-terrorism prosecutors as a 39-year-old named Kevin T., was intercepted and detained in his vehicle by police officers. Officials stated he was armed with a World War II-era British Sten submachine gun and teargas canisters. Law enforcement subsequently discovered that the suspect had rigged his residence with gas containers and electrical wiring linked to a timer. A relative was also detained by police for questioning.

The anti-terrorist prosecutor's office has initiated an inquiry focusing on whether the victims were selected on the basis of actual or assumed racial, ethnic, national or religious identity. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez characterized the incident as an unmistakably serious terrorist offense.

According to French public broadcasting, the assailant fatally shot a young Black man, fired at a woman wearing a headscarf, and subsequently shot the young girl. An athletic organization, the Atch Academy, identified the deceased victim as member Pengo Bossio Wangi, honoring his warmth and character.

Nicolas Dainville, the mayor of La Verriere, told Agence France-Presse that two of the injured in his municipality were school cleaners of African heritage who were fired upon outside an educational facility.

Ali Rabeh, the mayor of Trappes, labeled the spree a blatantly racist and likely Islamophobic assault, noting that the victims resembled members of his own family and neighborhood. Rabeh warned against harmful public rhetoric, stating that polarizing language contributes to ideological radicalization.

The assault comes during an intensely volatile period in France, following sweeping civil disturbances across multiple cities that led to thousands of arrests, widespread property damage and mounting social friction. Political figures from across the ideological spectrum, including far-right party leader Marine Le Pen, have issued statements condemning the violence.