Paris suburbs shooting kills 1, wounds 5: What we know about suspected racist attack

Paris (France): One person was killed and at least five others, including a 12-year-old girl, were wounded in a suspected racially motivated shooting at three locations in the Paris suburbs on Friday. French authorities described the incident as a racist terror attack.

The suspect was arrested less than 20 minutes after the shooting began, and France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office took over the investigation. President Emmanuel Macron said the suspect’s statements indicated that the attack may have been premeditated.

The shootings occurred over approximately 15 minutes in Trappes and La Verrière, towns about 30 kilometres (20 miles) west of Paris, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said. Three of the five injured people suffered life-threatening injuries.

“A deadly rampage took place this morning,” Nunez told reporters in Trappes.

Suspect arrested, weapons recovered

The suspect has been identified as Kevin T., born in 1987. Authorities have not released his full name. His criminal record included four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged under French law, the anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office said.

A search of his car reportedly uncovered a Sten-type submachine gun and a canister of tear gas. Investigators also found that his apartment had been booby-trapped with three gas cylinders and electrical wires connected to a timer.

A member of the suspect’s immediate family was also taken into police custody on Friday afternoon, the prosecutor’s office said.

The person killed was a French man born in 2000. 
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Macron condemns suspected racist attack

Macron described the shooting as a “racist terror attack” and said the victims appeared to have been targeted because of their skin colour or perceived religion.

“There is no place for this in France,” he said after meeting officials and residents in Trappes.

Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said the gunman appeared to have fired at passersby at several locations, including a playground. The victims may have been targeted because of their perceived African origin, he said.

Rabeh described the incident as a possible attempt at mass killing motivated by Islamophobia and racism.

Aurore Bergé, France’s minister for gender equality and the fight against discrimination, said the 12-year-old girl had been very seriously injured. She called for national solidarity with the victims if a racist motive was established.
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Anti-terrorism investigation launched

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation into several offences, including murder linked to a terrorist enterprise, with an aggravating circumstance involving the victim’s actual or perceived race, ethnic group, nationality or religion.

Nunez praised the five officers from the anti-crime brigade who stopped the suspect, commending them for their swift response.

The shooting occurred as France prepared for another day of protests over the cost of living on Saturday. Major museums were closing their doors, while the government planned a significantly larger security deployment to prevent a repeat of the previous week’s violent unrest.