Interior Minister Labels Trappes Shooting Terrorist Crime After One Killed

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez declared the Friday shooting in Trappes a terrorist crime following a 15-minute rampage that killed one person and injured five others. The attack occurred in the Paris suburb of Trappes and the neighboring commune of La Verriere, areas with large immigrant populations.

Police arrested the suspect, 39-year-old Kevin T., after he drove through the communities and fired an automatic weapon. He targeted a petrol station, a medical centre, and a children's playground. Prosecutors report that three of the five injured are in critical condition. An older-style semiautomatic weapon from the World War II era and tear gas grenades were found in the suspect's vehicle.

Local MP Laurent Mazaury stated that T. told officers he intended to "kill foreigners." Mazaury characterized the suspect as a racist. The deceased victim was identified as Pengo Bassio Wangi, a young Black man. Among the wounded was a 12-year-old girl of North African descent who was shot eight times. She has been transported to a children's hospital for surgery.

The girl's mother told broadcaster RTL that her daughter was born in Trappes and has the right to build a life in France. She questioned whether the child was targeted specifically because she wore a headscarf. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh, who has Moroccan roots, described the incident as objectively a racist attack and probably Islamophobic. He noted that the victims could easily have been his own relatives.

President Emmanuel Macron described the event as a racist terrorist attack and a turning point for the Republic. He affirmed France's determination to fight racism in all its forms. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu mobilized all security and judicial resources. Prosecutors are examining whether T. conspired with a terrorist group. A member of his immediate family circle is also in custody.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, condemned the shooting as barbaric. Muslim groups accused the populist right of fostering hatred through Islamophobic rhetoric. They pointed to Le Pen's campaign proposal to fine women who wear headscarves in public. The French Muslim Council stated that promoters of anti-Muslim hate speech have blood on their hands.

Authorities plan to deploy 70,000 police officers on Saturday as more demonstrations are expected. The attack coincides with cost-of-living and student protests across the country. Monitors indicate rising anti-Muslim hostility in Europe and the United States. The European Parliament voted 381 to 167 last week for a resolution on Islamist entryism.