Arrests and questioning
The Paris anti-terrorism prosecutor's office, which is leading the investigation, said the latest arrests were ordered Friday evening and overnight. Someone from the suspect's immediate circle had already been detained on Friday. Authorities initially withheld further details about those arrested and did not confirm French media reports that his mother was among them.
After an initial interrogation, the main suspect's police custody was extended Saturday morning. His health was assessed as compatible with continued detention, and a blood test was being conducted to establish his "toxicological profile."
The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) identified the 39-year-old only as Kévin T., born in 1987. He had four previous convictions, all automatically expunged under French law. BBC News, citing local media, reported that police knew of him but France's intelligence services did not. PNAT also told BFMTV that he was not listed as someone considered a serious threat to French security.
Shootings at three locations
The attacker fired an automatic weapon from a car into the streets of Trappes and La Verrière on Friday. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the shootings spanned roughly 15 minutes and three locations in the suburban area, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Paris. Police detained the suspect less than 20 minutes after the shooting began.
Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh said the attacker targeted people at a gas station, a medical center and a playground in Trappes before driving to La Verrière. Some of the five people wounded suffered very serious injuries.
The man killed was a 26-year-old French citizen of African origin, born in 2000. Atch Academy, an amateur mixed martial arts club in Aubervilliers, north of Paris, named him as Pengo Bossio Wangi in a tribute. French authorities have not publicly released his name.
The injured 12-year-old suffered eight gunshot wounds and needed surgery, her mother told French broadcaster RTL. Her mother said the girl was wearing a headscarf and questioned whether that explained why she was attacked. She also said her daughter was born in Trappes, France.
Weapons and suspected terrorist offenses
PNAT said investigators recovered a Sten-type submachine gun and a tear gas canister from the suspect's car. At his apartment, they found a booby trap involving three gas cylinders and electrical wires linked to a timer.
The criminal investigation includes "murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise," aggravated by the victim's actual or perceived race, ethnic group, nationality or religion. Prosecutors are also investigating "possession of a Category A weapon" and "conspiracy with a terrorist group for the purpose of preparing crimes against persons."
Macron's response and wider security preparations
President Emmanuel Macron condemned the shooting as a "racist terrorist attack" and described it as a "turning point in the life of our Republic and our nation." He said it was the first random racial killing of this kind. According to the Associated Press, Macron also said the suspect's statements suggested premeditation.
The attack occurred as France prepared for another day of protests over the high cost of living on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Major museums were closing, while the government was deploying a substantially larger security presence to prevent a repeat of the previous week's violent unrest.
