French authorities have launched an anti-terrorism investigation after a gunman killed one person and wounded five others in shootings across two towns near Paris, with officials suspecting the attacks may have been racially motivated.
The shootings occurred in Trappes and La Verrière, where a suspect allegedly fired from a vehicle at several locations over a period of less than 15 minutes. According to police, a suspect was arrested and taken into police custody.
France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office took charge of the case, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the incident as a “terrorist crime” potentially driven by racism.
Speaking to reporters in Trappes, Nuñez described the incident as a “deadly rampage” that left one person dead and five others injured. He said that three of the wounded were in very serious condition, with their lives at risk.
Among the injured was a 12-year-old girl whose condition was described as very serious by Aurore Bergé, France’s Minister for gender equality and the fight against discrimination.
Nuñez praised five officers from the anti-crime brigade who intervened to stop the suspect. “I commend them for their swift response,” he said.
The shootings have heightened concerns over possible racially motivated violence, although investigators have yet to establish a definitive motive.
Nuñez said the suspect fired what appeared to be a military-grade weapon or, at minimum, an automatic firearm.
Investigators are also examining reports that the suspect’s home may have been booby-trapped with gas cylinders. Asked about the reports, Nuñez said that authorities were aware of them but had not confirmed the circumstances. “We have heard those reports,” he said, adding, “The investigation will establish the facts.”
Authorities Investigate Possible Islamophobic Motive
Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said that the gunman appeared to have fired relatively indiscriminately at passersby in several locations, including a playground.
Rabeh described the incident as a possible attempt at mass killing motivated by racism and Islamophobia.
“This is probably one of the first attempted mass killings motivated by Islamophobia and racism. This was a terrorist attack with racist, likely Islamophobic, overtones.”
Ali Rabeh
The Mayor had previously said the person killed was of African origin, while one of those critically injured was of North African origin. Authorities have not established publicly whether the victims were specifically targeted because of their perceived racial, ethnic or religious identities.
Bergé called for national solidarity with the affected communities if investigators establish a racist motive.
“If a racist motive is established, I hope that the whole nation will stand alongside the residents of Trappes, La Verrière, and the victims. We cannot tolerate even the slightest racist remark in the French Republic.”
Aurore Bergé
The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office said that it had opened a criminal investigation into several offences, including murder connected to a terrorist enterprise, with an aggravating circumstance if the acts were committed because of a victim’s actual or perceived membership of a particular race, ethnic group, nationality or religion.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the shootings, the suspect’s motive and whether the incident was connected to a wider extremist or terrorist agenda.
Macron Pays Tribute To Victims
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his “deep sorrow” following the shooting and paid tribute to the victims. “In this terrible ordeal, the nation stands with them,” he wrote on X.
The shooting happened as France braces for another day of protests against the high cost of living on Saturday, with major museums closing their doors and the government deploying a significantly larger security presence to prevent a repeat of last week’s violent unrest, which shocked the country.
About 70,000 law enforcement officers will be deployed across France on Saturday while the Louvre and several other major Paris museums will be closed as authorities seek to prevent renewed violence during planned protests.
Demonstrators plan to take to the streets again Saturday to denounce the high cost of living. Students, members of the CGT labor union and activists from the “yellow vest” movement, whose demonstrations against social injustice shook France in 2018 and 2019, are all set to join.
The prosecutor’s office has not yet publicly established the suspect’s motive, and the possible racist or Islamophobic character of the shootings remains under investigation.
The case comes amid broader concerns about violence and discrimination in France, where authorities are responsible for determining whether attacks are motivated by racial or religious hatred and whether they meet the legal threshold for terrorism.
For residents of Trappes and La Verrière, the immediate focus remains on the victims and the investigation into how the shootings unfolded. With one person dead, five others wounded and a child among the seriously injured, investigators face the task of establishing whether the violence was a deliberate hate-motivated attack or arose from another motive.
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