In brief
On 23 October, a drive‑by shooting in Trappes near Paris killed one person and injured five others, targeting individuals of migrant origin. President Emmanuel Macron called the incident a turning point, describing it as the first random racial killing in France and a racist terrorist attack. Police arrested the gunman, 39‑year‑old Kevin T, who had nine prior convictions erased from his record, and detained an associate. Authorities are investigating a possible terrorist enterprise and a wider ideological threat.
On 23 October, a drive‑by shooting in Trappes, a suburb southwest of Paris, left one dead and five injured, many of whom were people of migrant origin.
President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident as a “racist terrorist attack,” claiming it marked the first random racial killing in the country and a turning point for the Republic.
The attacker, reportedly driving a grey Renault Clio, opened fire from his car in Trappes and then in nearby La Verrière, striking a petrol station, a medical centre and a playground.
Three of the injured, including a 12‑year‑old girl, remain in serious condition and the mother of the child said her daughter had received eight gunshot wounds.
The National Anti‑Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) said the act appeared to be a murder “in connection with a terrorist enterprise,” and investigations are looking into possible conspiracy with a terrorist group.
The suspect, identified in French media as Kevin T, is 39, had four previous convictions that were automatically expunged, and was not on France’s serious threat list. He was arrested on the main N10 road in La Verrière.
A family member who may have been involved with the suspect was also taken into custody, according to a police union official.
The attack was described by the mayor of Trappes, Ali Rabeh, as a “random” shooting aimed at causing maximum casualties with “carnage” as the goal.
Police officers at the scene reported that the attacker used a semi‑automatic weapon that could fire in bursts, likely dating to World War II, and was classified as a Category A weapon.
