Terrorism Charges: French Prosecutor Indicts Trappes Shooting Suspect
Kevin T, 39, faces murder and conspiracy charges after a 15-minute drive-by attack killed one person and injured five in the Paris suburbs.
By Abigail Brooks ·
Prosecutors have formally charged a 39-year-old man with terrorism following a shooting spree in the Paris suburbs that left one person dead and five others injured.
The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office, or PNAT, indicted Kevin T for murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. The office also cited possession of a Category A weapon and conspiracy with a terrorist group to prepare crimes against persons. T had four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged from his record. He was known to police but not to intelligence services, and the prosecutor's office told BFMTV he was not on a list of people regarded as a serious threat to French security.
The attack lasted approximately 15 minutes on Friday. T fired from a grey Renault Clio while driving through Trappes and the neighboring town of La Verrière. Witnesses described the shooter as aiming at people of migrant origin. He targeted individuals at a petrol station, a medical centre, and a playground in Trappes before continuing to La Verrière. A police union official said T was detained on the main road in La Verrière. A member of his immediate family circle was also taken into custody on Friday.
President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene and described the violence as a racist terrorist attack. He called the incident a turning point in the life of the Republic and the nation. Macron stated that victims were singled out because of their skin colour or religion. He urged the public not to give an inch against ideologies taking root.
Three of the wounded remain in serious condition. One victim, a 12-year-old girl, suffered eight gunshot wounds and required surgery. Her mother told broadcaster RTL that her daughter was wearing a headscarf and had been born in Trappes. The mother questioned whether the headscarf was the reason for the attack.
A local police chief told BFMTV that T used an older-style semi-automatic weapon. Le Parisien reported the firearm dated back to World War Two. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh said T fired randomly, apparently hoping to cause as many casualties as possible. Rabeh stated the attacker wanted to cause carnage.
The precise motive has not been established. The PNAT investigation continues to determine the full scope of the terrorist enterprise and the specific classification of the weapon used.
