A 39-year-old gunman opened fire from a vehicle in the working-class French towns of Trappes and La

A 39-year-old gunman opened fire from a vehicle in the working-class French towns of Trappes and La Verrière on a Friday, killing a 26-year-old man and injuring five others in what authorities have classified as a racist and terrorist attack.

Shooting Spree in Trappes and La Verrière

The drive-by shooting began at approximately 10:30 am. The suspect, identified by Euronews as 39-year-old Kevin T., drove through areas on the outskirts of Paris with large immigrant and Muslim populations. He fired an automatic weapon randomly at a petrol station, a medical centre, and a children’s playground during a 15-minute rampage.

Police arrested the suspect shortly after the attacks. The fatality was identified as Pengo Bossio Wangi, described by media outlets as a 26-year-old French mixed martial arts fighter. Among the five injured was a 12-year-old girl who sustained serious wounds.

Police Find Hate Speech Texts and Booby Traps

Investigators probing the attack discovered a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, a Bible, and a Quran at the suspect’s home in Plaisir. Authorities also found that the residence had been booby-trapped with three gas cylinders and electrical wires connected to a timer.

France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office announced that toxicology tests revealed cannabis and cocaine in the suspect’s blood. On Sunday, authorities suspended his police custody for psychiatric reasons and transferred him to a Paris police prefecture psychiatric unit for a 48-hour observation period to determine if his condition was compatible with further questioning.

According to Le Monde, the suspect told police he wanted to target people from immigrant backgrounds to avenge shopkeepers whose premises were looted when violent protests swept France.

Macron Labels Shooting a Racist Terrorist Attack

French President Emmanuel Macron visited Trappes on the day of the shooting and labeled the event a racist terrorist attack. The incident occurred while mounting, violent cost-of-living protests gripped France, Al Jazeera reported.

Controversy arose following Macron’s initial remarks in Trappes, where he stated it was the first time a planned terrorist act targeted individuals due to their skin color or religion. The remark drew swift criticism from political rivals and Jewish community leaders who noted previous fatal attacks targeting French Jews and Christians, JNS reported. On Saturday, Macron clarified his statement on X, writing that the country had previously experienced attacks targeting Christians and Jews, and that those victims must not be forgotten.

Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen condemned the shooting as barbaric. Simultaneously, Muslim advocacy organizations accused the populist right of fostering a climate of hostility through anti-immigrant and Islamophobic rhetoric.

Four individuals from the suspect’s family and social circle remain in police custody undergoing questioning as the anti-terrorism investigation continues.

On-Site Context and Investigations

The victim’s family stated that the suspect was known to the authorities and questioned whether officials had maintained a proper watch on him. A local shopkeeper of North African origin stated to AFP, It could have been anyone. He shot at Black people, at Arabs. Police discovered a Second World War-era submachine gun and tear gas grenades inside the suspect’s vehicle.

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