Gunman fires from car near Paris, killing one; Macron calls it a "racist terrorist attack"

Summary

A gunman firing from a car killed one person and wounded five others on Friday in the Paris suburbs of Trappes and neighbouring La Verriere. A 12-year-old girl, shot eight times, is being treated in hospital. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said the gunman was firing at random and wanted to cause a bloodbath as he drove through the working-class town southwest of Paris, and most of the victims were from foreign backgrounds. Police described the shooting as a terrorist attack, and prosecutors are investigating. French President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene in Trappes on Friday night, called it a "racist terrorist attack" and described it as premeditated, and said he was deeply saddened. He condemned racism in French society and warned of the pressure on the nation due to weeks of unrest. One report says police arrested the suspected gunman and that investigators reportedly found three gas cylinders rigged to a timer in his apartment, along with a submachine gun in his car. The mayor of Saint-Denis has denounced the impact of hate speech.

Timeline

1. South China Morning Post

   23 Oct 2026, 18:13 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that a gunman firing from his car killed one person and wounded five, including a 12-year-old girl shot eight times, in the Paris suburbs on Friday, and that the French president called it a "racist terrorist attack".

2. Sydney Morning Herald

   23 Oct 2026, 19:34 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that police describe the deadly shootings outside Paris as a terrorist attack, and that Macron called them a "racist terrorist attack" and warned of pressure on the nation due to weeks of unrest.

3. The Guardian

   23 Oct 2026, 21:44 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that a gunman opened fire from a car in Trappes and Verrière, killing one person and wounding a 12-year-old girl who was shot eight times and is being treated in hospital, and that Macron called the attack a "racist terrorist attack" after visiting the scene.

4. France 24

   24 Oct 2026, 13:21 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that authorities are investigating the Trappes and La Verrière shooting as a potentially racist and Islamophobic terrorist attack, that police arrested the suspected gunman, and that investigators reportedly found three gas cylinders rigged to a timer in his apartment and a submachine gun in his car.