France: 15-Minute Shooting in Paris Suburbs Kills One, Wounds Five

15 minutes of gunfire in the western suburbs of Paris left one person dead and five others injured on Friday. The attack unfolded in Trappes and the adjacent town of La Verrière, south-west of the capital.

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene and labeled the violence a "racist terrorist attack." He stated that victims were targeted because of their skin color or religion. Macron described the event as a turning point for the nation, claiming it was the first random racial killing of this type in France.

Prosecutors from the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. They also examined the suspect's possession of a Category A weapon, a class that includes military-grade arms and burst-fire weapons. Charges for conspiracy to prepare crimes against persons are part of the inquiry.

French media identified the suspect as Kevin T, a 39-year-old man with four prior convictions that had been expunged. He was known to police but not to intelligence services and was not on a list of serious security threats. A member of his immediate family was also taken into custody.

Witnesses described the gunman driving a grey Renault Clio through several neighborhoods. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said the attacker fired randomly at a petrol station, a medical center, and a playground. The goal, according to Rabeh, was to cause as much carnage as possible. The shooter was detained on a main road in La Verrière.

Three of the wounded are in serious condition, including a 12-year-old girl. Her mother told broadcaster RTL that her daughter suffered eight gunshot wounds and required surgery. She noted her daughter was wearing a headscarf and asked why a child born in France was targeted.

A local police chief told BFMTV the suspect used an older-style semi-automatic weapon. Le Parisien reported the firearm dated back to World War Two.