France deploys 70,000 officers after Trappes car shooting kills one

France is bracing for further demonstrations after a drive-by shooting in the Paris suburbs killed one person and wounded five others on Friday.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that approximately 70,000 police officers and gendarmes will be deployed to the region. The security force includes elite units guarding public buildings, along with helicopters, armored vehicles, and water cannons.

President Emmanuel Macron labeled the incident a racist terror attack. He stated that the victims were targeted because of their skin color or perceived religion. Macron added that the suspect's statements indicated premeditation.

The shooting began at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time when the suspect fired from a vehicle. The attack lasted just under 15 minutes before five officers from the anti-crime brigade stopped it. The suspect was arrested in the nearby town of Coignieres.

Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said the gunman drove through Trappes and La Verriere, firing at random. He noted that the shooter targeted passersby at three locations, including a playground. Rabeh described the incident as likely one of the first attempted mass killings motivated by Islamophobia.

Officials initially reported four wounded, but the number rose to five. Rabeh said three victims are in critical condition. The mayor of La Verriere, Nicolas Dainville, confirmed that a 12-year-old girl was shot eight times and is in stable condition. The victim killed was of African origin, according to Rabeh.

Prosecutors opened an investigation for murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. They are examining whether the attacks targeted the real or supposed race, ethnicity, nationality, or religion of the victims. The suspect has four prior convictions that were legally expunged. Three other individuals from his social circle were placed in police custody on Friday evening.