Shooting near Paris leaves at least one dead and four injured, including a 12-year-old

Friday morning, October 23, was marked by gunfire in two areas of the Yvelines department on the outskirts of Paris. At least one person was killed and four were injured, including a 12-year-old child.

French media reported that a gunman opened fire in several public places in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, spreading panic among residents. Gunshots were heard near a post office, a gas station, a kindergarten, a care center and a pharmacy, as well as near La Verrière railway station.

According to reports, the gunman was driving a gray Renault Clio and fired from inside the car at people in the area. He was arrested a short time later in the Quanières area.

French newspaper Le Parisien, citing its sources, wrote that the weapon used by the suspect may have been a STEN submachine gun, produced during World War II.

Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh responded to the incident, saying he was deeply concerned by the nature of the attack. According to him, the attacker fired indiscriminately and intended to cause a massacre.

Warnings about the danger also circulated on social media. One user alerted residents that an armed person was in the area and urged them to stay inside their homes to avoid danger.

The attacker’s motives and all the circumstances of the incident remain unclear. French media say authorities have deployed security forces and involved judicial authorities in the investigation. Meanwhile, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office said it is monitoring the situation.