Macron Calls Trappes Drive-By a Racist Terror Attack
A 39-year-old man faces terrorism charges after firing a World War Two-era weapon for 15 minutes in Paris suburbs, killing one and wounding five.
By Kwame Silva ·
President Emmanuel Macron declared the Paris-area shooting a racist terrorist attack, marking a turning point for the nation. The violence killed one person and wounded five others, including a 12-year-old girl who remains in serious condition. Macron stated that victims were singled out based on skin color or religion, calling it the first random racial killing of its kind in France.
The attack unfolded over roughly 15 minutes on October 23. The gunman, identified by French media as Kevin T, aged 39, drove a grey Renault Clio through Trappes and the neighboring town of La Verrière. He fired at a petrol station, a medical center, and a playground in Trappes before moving to La Verrière, where he was detained on the main road. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said the suspect fired randomly to cause carnage and maximize casualties.
The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) indicted T for murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. The investigation also covers possession of a Category A weapon and conspiracy with a terrorist group. T had four previous convictions that were automatically 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 on Friday.
A local police chief told BFMTV that T used an older-style semi-automatic weapon. Le Parisien reported the firearm dated back to World War Two. The 12-year-old girl, who was wearing a headscarf, suffered eight gunshot wounds and required surgery. Her mother, speaking to RTL, questioned how someone could do this to a child born in Trappes. She said her daughter has the right to live and make her life in France.
Macron visited the scene and urged the public not to give an inch against ideologies taking root. He emphasized that the precise motive has not yet been fully established by investigators. The case now proceeds through the French judicial system with T facing multiple terrorism-related counts. The injured continue to receive treatment in hospitals across the region.
The shooting has drawn national attention to security protocols in the western suburbs. Local officials are reviewing surveillance footage and witness statements to reconstruct the driver's route. The PNAT confirmed that the weapon's classification included military-grade arms capable of firing in bursts. T remains in custody as prosecutors build their case against him.
