In Paris suburbs, gunman kills one and wounds five — The Independent

In France, in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière near Paris, a man who fired from a car killed one person and wounded five others. The victims include a 12-year-old girl who sustained very serious injuries, The Independent reports.

Case investigated by anti-terrorism prosecutors

France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the case. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called the shooting a terrorist crime. According to him, the attack took place at three different locations in less than 15 minutes.

Nuñez said that three of the five injured people are in critical condition and their lives are in danger. Law enforcement officers detained the suspect. The minister also praised the actions of five police officers from the anti-crime brigade who stopped him.

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Investigators examine possible racist motive

Prosecutors consider the attack a terrorist crime and are examining a possible racist motive. They opened criminal proceedings over several possible offenses, including murder connected to terrorist activity with aggravating circumstances due to the victim’s actual or perceived belonging to a particular race, ethnic group, nationality or religion.

Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said that the attacker likely targeted random passers-by at several locations, including near a playground. He called the attack a terrorist act with racist and possibly Islamophobic motives. Nuñez also said that the attacker appeared to have used a military-type weapon or at least an automatic weapon.