Suspect in shooting near Paris admits he selected victims by their origin

Confessions at the prosecutor's press conference

The suspect in the shootings in Trappes and La Verrière on the outskirts of Paris has admitted that he deliberately selected people he perceived as Muslims or as individuals of African or North African origin. Anti-terrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen said this at a press conference on Thursday, 29 October, as reported by Euronews, quoting his words. According to BBC News, on the same day the national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office (PNAT) announced that charges had been brought against the suspect of murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise.

The course of the attack and the condition of the victims

The attack took place on 23 October: 39-year-old Kevin T., known only by his first name and initial, fired at people while moving by car and on foot between the two suburbs. The victim was 26-year-old Pengbo Bossio Wanga, a Frenchman of Congolese origin who practised martial arts. Seven people were wounded, including an 11-year-old girl whose life, as of Thursday, was out of danger. Three victims remained in hospital, one of them in critical condition. According to the prosecutor, the suspect chose Trappes because he considered it a 'hideout for Islamists' (Euronews uses the wording 'hideout for Islamists', BBC — 'hotbed for Islamists').

Lengthy preparation and the arsenal found

The prosecutor emphasised the 'extensive preparation' of the attack. The suspect admitted premeditation and said he fired in 'bursts'. According to the investigation, from September he had been purchasing items to increase the effectiveness of his weapon — a Second World War-era Sten-type submachine gun — as well as a police armband and handcuffs. A search of his home in Plaisir found magazines, two pairs of knuckle-dusters, a steel bayonet and a silencer, as well as a Koran, a Bible and Hitler's Mein Kampf. Stickers with nationalist slogans were also discovered, including 'Long live France, RN, proud to be French' — a reference to the far-right National Rally. The suspect said he had designed and ordered them online himself, but denies membership in or sympathy for any party. Despite his admissions, he denies terrorist intent, considers his actions 'legitimate' and feels no remorse; he also denied any intention to kill children, suggesting he had misjudged the height of the 11-year-old victim.

Psychiatric assessment and the judicial outlook

The suspect had reported psychological and psychiatric problems, but according to the prosecutor, a medical examination found no acute psychiatric decompensation, hallucinations or delusions that would justify compulsory hospitalisation. The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has opened a judicial investigation into murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist act, with the aggravating circumstance of the alleged origin or religion of the victims; the prosecution is seeking pre-trial detention.

Political dispute and national ceremony

President Emmanuel Macron, speaking on Wednesday on the YouTube channel HugoDécrypte, condemned the 'racism of the atmosphere' and the 'unleashing of violence', holding far-right movements, including the National Rally and groups close to it, responsible for such a climate. RN deputy Jean-Philippe Tanguy, responding on the TF1 channel, called the president's words 'highly problematic' and accused Macron himself of allowing 'hateful ideologies to flourish' during his term. BBC notes that six months remain until the French presidential election, and RN leader Marine Le Pen leads the polls. On 28 October the government announced a national memorial ceremony for the victims — following a request in the National Assembly from the leader of the Greens group, Cyrielle Chatelain. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will preside over the ceremony, said the minister responsible for combating discrimination, Aurore Bergé, in the Senate; the date and venue have not yet been announced.