Macron brands Paris suburb drive-by a racist terror attack after one killed

French President Emmanuel Macron labeled a shooting in the Paris suburbs a "racist terrorist attack" after a gunman killed one person and wounded five others. The violence unfolded over roughly 15 minutes on Friday, with the attacker firing from a vehicle in Trappes before moving to the neighboring town of La Verrière.

Macron visited the scene and stated that victims were targeted because of their skin color or religion. He described the incident as a "turning point in the life of our Republic and our nation" and said France had never before experienced a random racial killing of this specific type. The president urged citizens to resist ideologies taking root in society.

The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) opened an investigation for murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. Charges also include conspiracy with a terrorist group and possession of a Category A weapon. This classification covers military-grade arms and weapons capable of firing in automatic bursts. Prosecutors said the case appears to fit the legal definition of a terror-related killing.

French media identified the suspect as Kevin T, a 39-year-old driver of a grey Renault Clio. PNAT noted that T had four previous convictions that were automatically expunged from his record. While local police knew him, intelligence services did not track him, and he was not on a list of serious security threats. A member of his immediate family was also detained on Friday.

Witnesses reported the gunman targeted a petrol station, a medical center, and a playground in Trappes. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said T fired randomly, aiming to cause as many casualties as possible. "He wanted to cause carnage," Rabeh said. The attacker continued to La Verrière, where police detained him on the main road.

Three of the five wounded remain in serious condition, including a 12-year-old girl. Her mother told RTL that her daughter suffered eight gunshot wounds and required surgery. The mother said the girl was wearing a headscarf and wondered if that contributed to the attack. "She's a child who was born in France, in Trappes. She has the right to live in France, to make her life in France," she said.

A local police chief told BFMTV that the suspect used an older-style semi-automatic weapon. Le Parisien reported that the firearm dated back to World War Two. The precise motive remains under investigation, though prosecutors have formally linked the shooting to a terrorist enterprise.