Macron calls deadly shooting near Paris a ‘racist terrorist attack’
One person was killed and five were wounded in Trappes and nearby La Verrière on 23 October. French prosecutors are investigating whether the shooting was terrorism-related and whether victims were targeted because of their backgrounds.
French President Emmanuel Macron called a shooting in Trappes and nearby La Verrière, southwest of Paris, a ‘racist terrorist attack’ after a gunman firing from a car killed one person and wounded five on Friday, 23 October 2026. The suspect was arrested, according to the BBC. Prosecutors have opened a terrorism-related murder investigation, but the motive remains unclear.
The BBC reported that the shooting unfolded over about 15 minutes as the attacker drove through the two towns. Among the wounded was a 12-year-old girl. Three injured people, including the girl, remained in serious condition, the BBC said; AFP reported that the girl was seriously wounded but stable, citing the mayor of La Verrière.
What prosecutors are investigating
France’s anti-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation into murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, AFP reported. They are examining whether the victims were targeted because of their real or perceived race, ethnicity, nationality or religion. The investigation has not established that as the gunman’s motive. The distinction matters because Macron’s description of the attack is a public assessment, while investigators are still examining what drove it.
Macron visited Trappes after the shooting and said people had been targeted because of their skin colour or religion, according to the BBC. The Guardian quoted him saying the attack marked a turning point for France. His comments framed the shooting as a threat extending beyond those directly hit, even as prosecutors continued to investigate whether the victims had been selected for those reasons.
The shooting in Trappes and La Verrière
Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh described the gunman as firing at random while driving through Trappes and La Verrière, AFP reported. His account reflects what he said about the attack, rather than a finding about how each victim was selected. AFP reported that most of the victims were from foreign backgrounds, a detail prosecutors are examining as they investigate the possible motive.
The Guardian reported that the gunman fired at a petrol station, a medical centre and a children’s playground during the roughly 15-minute attack. The violence affected people across more than one location in the neighbouring communities. Police stopped the suspect in his car, according to the Guardian, while the BBC reported that he was arrested after the shootings.
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Sources and context
- Shooting near Paris a 'racist terrorist attack' - MacronAgence France-Presse, republished by RTÉ
- Macron condemns racism after one killed in ‘terrorist’ shooting near ParisThe Guardian
- Macron says deadly shooting near Paris is a 'racist terrorist attack'BBC News
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.