French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned a deadly shooting in the suburbs southwest of Paris, describing it as a “racist terrorist attack” after one person was killed and five others were injured.
The shooting occurred on Friday, October 23, 2026, with the suspect allegedly opening fire from a vehicle across several locations in Trappes and nearby La Verrière. Authorities said the attacker appeared to target people of migrant origin before being arrested.
Three of the injured victims, including a 12-year-old girl, remain in serious condition.
Visiting the scene in Trappes, Macron described the incident as a potential turning point for France, warning that people appeared to have been targeted because of their skin colour or religion. He urged the public not to give ground to extremist ideologies.
Gunman Allegedly Fired at People Across Multiple Locations
According to Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh, the suspect drove through several neighbourhoods in a grey Renault Clio, firing at people he encountered.
The reported shooting locations included a petrol station, a medical centre and a playground in Trappes before the vehicle continued towards La Verrière.
Rabeh said the attacker appeared intent on causing as many casualties as possible, describing the incident as an attempt to create widespread devastation.
A police union official said the suspect was eventually detained on the N10 road in La Verrière.
Emergency services and police officers were deployed across the affected areas as investigators began examining the scenes.
Injured Child Undergoes Surgery
Among the victims was a 12-year-old girl whose mother told French broadcaster RTL that her daughter had sustained eight gunshot wounds and required surgery.
The mother questioned whether the child had been targeted because she was wearing a headscarf.
She also stressed that her daughter was born in France and had the right to live safely in the country.
The incident has intensified concerns about possible racial or religious motivations behind the attack, although investigators have yet to establish the suspect’s precise motive.
Counterterrorism Investigation Underway
France’s National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) has taken charge of the investigation, saying the incident appears to involve murder connected to a terrorist enterprise.
Investigators are also examining alleged possession of a Category A weapon, a classification that includes certain military-grade firearms and weapons capable of firing in bursts. The inquiry further includes suspected conspiracy with a terrorist group to prepare crimes against people.
French media have identified the suspect as Kevin T., a 39-year-old man. According to the prosecutor’s office, he had four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged.
Local reports say he was known to police but was not known to France’s intelligence services. Authorities also said he was not on a list of individuals considered serious threats to national security.
A member of the suspect’s immediate family circle was also taken into custody on Friday, according to PNAT.
Motive Remains Unclear
A local police chief told BFMTV that the suspect allegedly used an older-style semi-automatic firearm. Le Parisien reported that the weapon dated back to the Second World War.
While the circumstances have prompted Macron to condemn the shooting as a racist terrorist attack, authorities continue to investigate the suspect’s intentions and the full sequence of events.
The investigation will seek to establish whether the victims were deliberately selected because of their perceived racial or religious backgrounds and whether the attack was connected to a wider extremist agenda.
For residents of Trappes and La Verrière, the shooting has left communities shaken as the injured receive treatment and investigators work to establish the motive behind the violence.
