A 39-year-old man has admitted to targeting individuals “of a Muslim, African or North African type” during a shooting spree last week in the Paris suburbs, French antiterrorism authorities said Thursday. The attack left one person dead and seven others wounded.
The suspect, identified only as Kévin T., carried out the shootings on Friday in Trappes, a working-class city with a significant Muslim and immigrant population, and the adjacent town of La Verrière, both located southwest of Paris. Prosecutor Olivier Christen said Kévin T. planned the assault in advance and chose the area because he perceived it as a “den of Islamists.” The suspect fired 128 rounds from a nine-millimeter Sten submachine gun across eight locations along a route spanning roughly seven miles, often shooting from inside his car.
While Kévin T. initially denied racial motivations, investigators concluded that his actions were racially or ethnically targeted. He rejected the characterization of his act as terrorism, claiming his conduct was legitimate. During the shootings, an 11-year-old child was wounded; the suspect said he had not intentionally targeted children but expressed no remorse. Three of the seven injured remained hospitalized at the time of the prosecutor’s statement, including one in critical condition. The young child’s survival was confirmed earlier in the week.
Following his arrest, Kévin T. engaged in self-harm and made incoherent remarks, prompting a psychiatric evaluation. Authorities found no signs of a disabling mental disorder qualifying him for involuntary hospitalization. The suspect asserted he was schizophrenic and was taking antipsychotic medication; however, the examining psychiatrist described the medication as mild and questioned the diagnosis. Toxicology tests revealed traces of cocaine and cannabis in his system. He reported a history of psychological difficulties, including a brief hospitalization at age 25, and ongoing treatment.
Prosecutors indicated that Kévin T. meticulously prepared for the attack. He purchased the firearm last month, settled family debts, and arranged his personal affairs. Two days prior to the shootings, he deleted all social media accounts and sold his laptop. His phone required extensive police efforts to trace. Authorities discovered an explosive device at his residence, which was safely defused, along with an arsenal including brass knuckles, a steel bayonet, a silencer, and various books such as the Quran, the Bible, and Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf.” Over 200 stickers were also found, expressing support for law enforcement and French national pride; around 30 featured the acronym of the National Rally party.
Kévin T. denied affiliation with any political organization but claimed to have previously “infiltrated” left-wing groups. He was reported to be single and employed full time.
The investigation is ongoing, and charges under murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise are expected to be filed. French authorities are treating the suspect’s apparent racial motivations as an aggravating factor.
The shootings have reverberated politically as France approaches presidential elections next spring amid heightened tensions following recent protests and riots. President Emmanuel Macron described the incident as a “wake-up call” in a recent interview, decrying an atmosphere of racism, which he linked to rhetoric from the far-right National Rally and its affiliates.
In the days since the attack, public demonstrations have taken place in La Verrière, Paris, and other locations to protest racism and commemorate Pengo Bossio Wangi, 26, the victim who was killed.