In brief
In the suburbs of Paris, a car‑fired gun attack left one dead and several injured before authorities sent the 39‑year‑old suspect, Kevin T, into psychiatric evaluation. President Emmanuel Macron labeled the incident a “racist terrorist attack,” signalling a new warning for France’s ordeal with hate crimes. The evaluation, expected to last 48 hours, will determine if the suspect can be questioned while assessing his mental state. Blood tests revealed cannabis and cocaine in the suspect’s system, and investigators uncovered a Bible, a Quran and a copy of Mein Kampf at his home, raising questions about motive. The death of French‑Congolese athlete Pengo Bossio Wangi, and the sustained injuries of a 12‑year‑old girl, underscore the tragedy’s human cost.
Suspect in deadly Paris suburb shooting sent for psychiatric observation
A 39‑year‑old suspect named Kevin T has been cleared from police custody and placed under psychiatric observation by French anti‑terrorism officials after a car‑fired shooting near Paris.
The attack, carried out first in Trappes and then in nearby La Verrière, prompted a fatal shooting of one person and injuries to five, with shots apparently aimed at people of migrant origin.
National Anti‑Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) said the psychiatric assessment would determine whether the suspect’s mental state allows for a proper interrogation. The evaluation is expected to last about 48 hours.
President Emmanuel Macron described the incident as a “racist terrorist attack” and warned that it marked a turning point for the nation, underscoring the threat of targeted violence.
Amid the investigation, PNAT noted the suspect had cannabis and cocaine in his bloodstream. French newspaper Le Monde and AFP added that a Bible, a Quran and a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf were found at the suspect’s home.
Lawyer for the one fatality, Pengo Bossio Wangi, said the psychiatric observation was “very rare” and criticized the move as a way to portray the suspect as irresponsible rather than intentionally violent.
Wangi, a 26‑year‑old French‑Congolese mixed martial artist, was named as the sole fatality. Colleagues mourned his loss, highlighting his leadership and generosity.
Three injured survivors were hospitalized, including a 12‑year‑old girl who remains in critical condition, though her mother reported an improving state. The mayor of La Verrière confirmed that other injured residents were recovering or also in critical condition.
The suspect was known to police before the attack but not to France’s intelligence services, with four prior convictions that had become automatically expunged. Reports say he used an old semi‑automatic weapon, firing in bursts from his car window.
Forensic officers examine evidence at the site of the petrol station shooting in Trappes.
