Kevin T faces terror charges after 15-minute drive-by shooting in Trappes
The 39-year-old suspect is accused of targeting people of migrant origin, leaving one dead and five wounded, including a 12-year-old girl with eight gunshot wounds.
By Fatima Popov ·
Kevin T, 39, faces terrorism charges following a 15-minute drive-by shooting that killed one person and wounded five others in Trappes and La Verrière. The attack, which French President Emmanuel Macron described as a racist terrorist act, appears to have targeted individuals of migrant origin.
Macron visited the scene and called the violence a turning point for the Republic. He stated this was the first time France had experienced a random racial killing of this nature. The president urged citizens to stand firm against ideologies taking root, noting that victims were singled out by skin color or religion.
The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office is investigating the case as murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. Charges also include possession of a Category A weapon, a class that covers military-grade arms and burst-fire capabilities, and conspiracy with a terrorist group. The suspect had four prior convictions that were automatically expunged, though local media reported he was known to police but not intelligence services.
Witnesses described the suspect driving a grey Renault Clio through several neighborhoods. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said T fired randomly, aiming to cause as many casualties as possible. People were targeted at a petrol station, a medical center, and a playground before the attacker moved to La Verrière, where he was detained on the main road.
A 12-year-old girl remains in serious condition after suffering eight gunshot wounds. Her mother told RTL that her daughter was wearing a headscarf and wondered if that was the reason for the attack. She emphasized that her daughter was born in Trappes and has the right to live her life in France.
The prosecutor's office confirmed that a member of T's immediate family circle was also taken into custody on Friday. A local police chief told BFMTV that the suspect used an older-style semi-automatic weapon. Le Parisien reported the firearm dated back to World War Two.
Source: BBC News
