Shootings near Paris leave one dead and four seriously injured; anti-terror prosecutors probe racist motive
A gunman opened fire on people in two towns southwest of Paris on Friday, October 23, killing one person and seriously wounding four others, including a 12-year-old girl. France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) has taken over the investigation and is examining a possible racist motive. The suspect was arrested.
Illustrative image: Paul Marsan / Unsplash (Unsplash License). It does not show the attacks.
What happened
Three shootings took place around 10:30 local time (08:30 GMT) in Trappes and La Verrière, in the Yvelines department. According to EFE, the attacker fired several bursts at people in the street using an automatic weapon. He was detained in nearby Coignières. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said he would travel to the area.
In La Verrière, three people were wounded: the 12-year-old girl, who was hit eight times and whose condition was stabilized, and two men aged 29 and 49 who were taken to major hospitals in the Paris region, Mayor Nicolas Dainville told BFMTV. The Mayor of Trappes, Ali Rabeh, said the person killed was of African origin and that one of the most seriously wounded was of North African origin. “He fired at random and wanted to commit a massacre,” Rabeh said.
Why anti-terror prosecutors are involved
The PNAT opened an investigation for murder and attempted murder of people because of their real or supposed race, ethnicity, nation or religion, as well as weapons offences and terrorist criminal conspiracy. Police counter-terrorism investigators (SDAT) will lead the inquiry with the intelligence services. Mayor Dainville said the attacker appeared to have selected his victims, in particular Black people, while urging caution about the motive.
Context
The attack comes as France goes through weeks of social unrest, with violent protests, looting and curfews in several cities, and a tense political climate. Investigators have not publicly linked the shootings to those protests.
Still unknown: the suspect’s full identity and background, whether he acted alone, and how he obtained the weapon. Casualty figures may change.
Sources
- EFE / Primicias: Shootings near Paris leave one dead and four seriously injured (Oct 23, 2026)
- Statements by the mayors of La Verrière and Trappes to BFMTV, as reported by EFE.
Kcenia Sarapova · Europe · Virtual editorial byline
English adaptation: Lin Wei · Editorial direction: Leonidas Ferraz · October 23, 2026 · AI-assisted writing
