A gunman killed one person and wounded five others, including a 12-year-old girl, in a drive-by shooting in the Paris suburb of Trappes on Oct. 23, 2026, an attack President Emmanuel Macron described as "terrorist and racist," according to a Reuters report.
Macron told reporters the incident was a "turning point," saying it was the first time France had faced "a terrorist act" planned to kill people "based on the color of their skin or their religion."
The shooting occurred earlier on Friday, when the gunman fired an automatic weapon at multiple locations, including a petrol station, a medical center, and a children's playground, Reuters reported.
Officials said a 39-year-old suspect, identified as Kevin T, had been arrested. As is common in France during criminal inquiries, authorities did not provide his full surname.
The attack comes at a time of heightened tension in France, following nationwide protests that turned violent the previous weekend and ahead of further demonstrations expected in the coming days. Some far-right politicians have blamed immigration for looting and vandalism reported in several French cities on Oct. 17.
Macron said the gunman had deliberately refrained from shooting at some people based on their appearance and skin color. France's anti-terrorism prosecutor's office, PNAT, has formally opened an investigation. Reuters noted that PNAT can take over cases it deems to meet terrorism criteria, including violence inspired by far-right ideas, which can bring tougher sentencing and expanded investigative powers.
French broadcaster BFM reported that the injured 12-year-old girl had suffered eight gunshot wounds and was in serious condition.
Ali Rabeh, the mayor of Trappes, called the shooting "racist" and "Islamophobic," saying those targeted "could just as easily" have been members of his family. He urged a collective condemnation of rhetoric that "ideologically arms" those who may be capable of carrying out such violence.
A mayor in nearby La Verriere, Nicolas Dainville, described the suspect as "of a European type," while Rabeh said two victims were of African and North African origin, Reuters reported.
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