Gunman fires from car near Paris, killing 1; police arrest suspect

A gunman opened fire from a car outside Paris, killing one person and wounding four others including a 12-year-old girl ‌on Friday, French authorities said.

"We would like to thank our law enforcement ‌agencies, which have already taken the suspect into custody. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office has taken over the case," President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X, expressing deep sorrow over ⁠the ​killing. The shooting comes ⁠at a moment of particular tension in France, after nationwide protests turned violent last Saturday and ahead ⁠of possible unrest this coming weekend.

Ali Rabeh, the mayor of the town of ​Trappes west of Paris, told BFMTV that a man had fired shoots ⁠from his car and "appeared to be firing at random and seemed intent on carrying out ⁠a ​massacre". Rabeh said the gunman was driving on a road from Trappes to neighbouring La Verriere and lived in a nearby town. Broadcaster BFM reported ⁠that the wounded 12-year-old girl had been hit eight times.

The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said ⁠its investigation included looking ⁠at whether the shooting was a terrorist act or if it were racially or religiously motivated.