France: one killed and five wounded in a shooting near Paris that Macron calls a 'racist terror attack'

A gunman opened fire from a car in Trappes and neighbouring La Verrière, about 20 km west of Paris, at about 10:30 on 23-10-2026, killing one person and wounding five, officials said. A 12-year-old girl was shot eight times and is in a stable condition, La Verrière Mayor Nicolas Dainville said. Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said most of the victims were of African or North African origin.

A 39-year-old man was arrested in nearby Coignières with a submachine gun and tear-gas grenades, according to a source familiar with the case, RTÉ reported. Prosecutors said he had booby-trapped his flat with three gas canisters and wires "connected to a timer". Anti-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation for "murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise" and are examining whether the victims were targeted because of their "real or supposed race, ethnicity, nationality or religion".

President Emmanuel Macron called it "a racist terror attack": "These people were targeted because of their skin color or perceived religion, and for no other reason." Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it "clearly a terrorist crime". Rabeh said the gunman was "firing at random, wanting to cause a bloodbath".