Suspect Arrested After Deadly Shooting in Trappes – Macron Calls It a Racist Terrorist Attack

On Friday night, the quiet streets of Trappes, a working‑class suburb of Paris, were shattered by a sudden burst of gunfire. According to witnesses, a man in his late thirties rolled down a window, lifted a weapon and began shooting at random from his vehicle as he drove through the neighbourhood.

The assault left one person dead – a man identified as being of African origin – and five others wounded. Among the injured was a 12‑year‑old girl who was hit eight times; she is now in intensive care. Another victim, reportedly of North‑African descent, remains in critical condition.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Trappes shortly after the attack, describing the incident as a “racist terrorist attack.” He urged national unity and condemned the violence in a brief statement at the town’s hall.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who visited the nearby towns of La Verrière and Coignières, called the shooting “clearly a terrorist crime.” He confirmed that police recovered a sub‑machine gun and several tear‑gas grenades from the suspect’s car.

Police arrested the 39‑year‑old driver in Coignières later that night. Prosecutors have opened an investigation for “murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise,” and are probing whether the victims were specifically targeted because of their real or perceived race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.

Mayor Ali Rabeh of Trappes told reporters that the gunman “was firing at random, wanting to cause a bloodbath.” He added that the attack appeared “objectively racist, probably Islamophobic,” and pledged psychological support for the community in the coming hours.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu posted on X, noting that “all security forces and judicial authorities are fully mobilised” and that the national anti‑terrorism prosecutor’s office is monitoring the situation closely.

The town’s mayor also used Instagram to express condolences, saying, “I offer my sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and my full support to the other victims.” He promised a thorough investigation to uncover the shooter’s motives.