Driver Kills One in Trappes, Wounds Five in Racially Motivated Attack

A gunman driving through the Paris suburb of Trappes killed one person and injured at least five others on Friday.

The driver fired from his vehicle at passersby in Trappes and the neighboring town of La Verriere. Local time records show the shooting began around 10:30 a.m. and lasted just under 15 minutes. Five officers from the anti-crime brigade stopped the suspect, who was later arrested in the nearby town of Coignieres.

President Emmanuel Macron described the incident as a racist terror attack. He stated that the victims were targeted because of their skin color or perceived religion. The Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, said the weapon used was military-grade or at least automatic. Prosecutors opened an investigation for murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.

The mayor of Trappes, Ali Rabeh, said the gunman fired at random at three locations, including a playground. One victim, a 12-year-old girl, was shot eight times and remains in stable condition. Three other injured people are in critical condition. Rabeh noted that one victim killed was of African origin and one critically wounded victim is of North African origin.

France is preparing for large protests on Saturday related to the cost of living and recent curfews. Nuñez said 70,000 police officers and gendarmes will be deployed. The Louvre and other major Paris museums will close, and Art Basel Paris canceled its weekend program. Three people from the suspect's circle were placed in police custody Friday evening.

The suspect has not been publicly identified but has four prior convictions that are legally expunged. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said all security and judicial resources are mobilized. Macron said the nation is standing with the victims.