French President Emmanuel Macron has labelled a deadly drive-by shooting in a Paris suburb a "racist terrorist attack" after a gunman killed one person and wounded five others, including a 12-year-old girl. The attack unfolded Friday morning when a gunman opened fire from a vehicle at a petrol station, a medical centre and a children's playground in Trappes, southwest of Paris, before continuing to nearby La Verrière.
Officials said the spree lasted nearly 15 minutes and left three people with serious injuries. A 39-year-old suspect, identified in French media as Kevin T, was arrested on the N10 road.
A member of his immediate family was also taken into custody. Macron, visiting the scene, said the attack marked "a turning point" for France, describing it as "the first time we have had a terrorist act that was planned to kill our compatriots, our children, based on the colour of their skin or their religion." He urged the public not to "give an inch" to such ideologies.
Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said the gunman "fired randomly" with the intent of causing "as many casualties as possible," calling the attack "objectively racist, probably Islamophobic." He noted the deceased victim was of African origin and one critically injured victim was of North African descent.
The mother of the injured 12-year-old told RTL her daughter suffered eight gunshot wounds and requires surgery, questioning whether her headscarf made her a target. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) is investigating the incident as a murder committed by members of a terrorist organisation, based on the aggravating factor of an offence committed due to race, ethnicity, or religion.
The suspect had four prior convictions and was unknown to intelligence agencies. The shooting occurs amidst high tensions in France following recent weekend protests.
Security experts suggest that the nature of the attack, targeting specific public spaces, indicates a premeditated attempt to incite fear within diverse communities. The French government has since increased police presence in the region to prevent further unrest.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on the suspect's potential links to extremist groups, despite his lack of prior intelligence records. The incident has reignited national debates regarding social cohesion and the rise of hate-motivated violence in suburban France.
President Macron has promised full support to the victims' families and has called for a national dialogue to address the underlying causes of such radicalization. The local community in Trappes remains in shock as they mourn the loss of life and pray for the recovery of the injured.
The incident serves as a grim reminder of the challenges France faces in maintaining security while upholding its values of equality and fraternity. Authorities are currently reviewing surveillance footage from the petrol station and the playground to reconstruct the exact timeline of the 15-minute rampage.