Paris suburb shooting suspect targeted people of Muslim or African appearance, prosecutor says
Kevin T has been charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.
Paris suburb shooting suspect targeted people of Muslim or African appearance, prosecutor says
A man suspected of a fatal shooting near Paris last week has admitted that he targeted people of “Muslim, African or North African” appearance, prosecutors say.
A man was killed and seven people, including a child, were injured last Friday when an attacker opened fire while driving through two western suburbs.
On Thursday, the suspect was charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, the national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office (PNAT) said.
President Emmanuel Macron described it as a “racist terrorist attack,” and anti-racism demonstrations have been held across France.
Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old French-Congolese martial artist, was killed in the shooting.
Three of the wounded were still in hospital, with one in critical condition, terrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen told reporters.
The suspect, identified in French media as 39-year-old Kevin T, selected Trappes and nearby La Verrière because he viewed them as a “hotbed for Islamists,” he said.
Kevin T denied any “terrorist intent,” said his actions were “legitimate,” and said he “feels no regret,” Christen said.
Police discovered “weapons or weapon components” at the suspect’s home, along with books including a Quran, a Bible and Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, as well as stickers praising the hard-right National Rally (RN) party, Christen said.
Kevin T told investigators that he had personally designed the stickers, with slogans such as “long live France, RN, proud to be French,” and had them printed more than a year ago, Christen said.
However, the suspect also told investigators that he was not a member or supporter of any political party.
On Wednesday, Macron said that “certain political movements on the far right,” including the RN and “those close to them,” had allowed a climate of racism “to take root.”
Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a prominent RN lawmaker, responded that it was the president himself who had allowed “hateful ideologies” to flourish.
France’s presidential election is six months away, and RN leader Marine Le Pen is currently leading opinion polls.