Paris: France's national counterterrorism prosecutor on Thursday asked that a 39-year-old suspect be held in pretrial detention over a shooting in the Paris suburbs that killed one person and wounded seven others. The prosecutor said the suspect targeted people he believed to be Muslim or of African origin.
The suspect, a 39-year-old French national identified by authorities as Kevin T, was arrested less than 20 minutes after the shooting began on Friday in Trappes and neighbouring La Verriere, west of Paris. His last name has not been made public.
An 11-year-old girl was among the injured after a gunman fired from his vehicle at several locations along a 12-kilometre (7.5-mile) route.
The suspect “now acknowledged that the acts were premeditated,” national counterterrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen said. He admitted to “specifically targeting” people he believed to be Muslim or from sub-Saharan Africa or North Africa based on their appearance, Christen said.
The prosecutor added that the suspect said he chose the suburb of Trappes because it is “a haven for Islamists”.
The suspect denied any terrorist intent and said “he had no regrets”, Christen added.
A judicial investigation has been opened into murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, with the aggravating circumstance that the crimes were committed because of the victims' actual or perceived race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.
Authorities identified the man killed as Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old Black French national. Four other people were seriously wounded, including one who remained in a life-threatening condition on Thursday. Three others suffered lighter injuries. Authorities have not disclosed details about the identities of those injured.
Christen said the suspect had a history of psychological and psychiatric problems and drug addiction. Toxicology tests revealed cannabis and cocaine in his blood, as well as drugs prescribed by a doctor.
A search of his car uncovered a Sten-type submachine gun. Investigators also found that his apartment had been booby-trapped with three gas cylinders and electrical wires connected to a timer.
The suspect bought several firearm parts last month, Christen said. Two days before the shooting, he deleted all his social media accounts, sold his laptop computer and concealed his phone, but police managed to find it.
Investigators also found Adolf Hitler's manifesto ‘Mein Kampf’, along with stickers stored in a drawer bearing inscriptions including ‘Long live France’, ‘Proud to be French’ and ‘RN’, the French acronym for the far-right party National Rally.
The suspect told investigators that he had designed and ordered the stickers himself. He said he was neither a member nor a supporter of any political party, Christen said.