suspect arrested
Shots in Paris: at least three dead and several injured – perpetrators probably right-wing extremists
Three people were killed by gunfire in an attack on a Kurdish cultural center and a Kurdish café in Paris. Three others were injured, prosecutors said on Friday. A 69-year-old was arrested. He is known to the police, among other things because of an attack on migrants in the French capital. It was said that the question of a racial background would be investigated. “The killer was taken to a hospital, he is in critical condition. He was immediately arrested by the police. The shooting happened in a Kurdish community center, in a restaurant opposite and in a barber shop opposite the community center. Known until now we don’t understand the motives of the killer”. The shots sparked panic in the street at the scene, which was lined with small shops and cafes. According to prosecutors, the suspected shooter was arrested a year ago for attacking a migrant camp in Paris with a saber. The television station BFM TV reported that the suspect was a French citizen.
At least three people were killed by gunfire in Paris and several were injured. The police arrested a suspect. There are first indications of a motive.
A man shot dead three people and injured four others in central Paris. Two of them were in mortal danger, the public prosecutor said on Friday. The newspaper “Le Figaro” reports three dead and at least three injured, one of whom is life-threatening – in the afternoon the Paris public prosecutor confirmed that there was a third fatality. A person who was shot may have succumbed to their injuries.
“There were seven or eight shots, there is panic,” said an eyewitness to the AFP news agency. “I saw two police officers go into a hairdressing salon where two people were lying on the ground, their legs were injured,” said resident Emmanuel Boujenan.
Suspect possibly right-wing extremist
Security forces arrested a 69-year-old man. According to French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, the motive of the perpetrator is still unclear. “He obviously wanted to attack foreigners,” said the minister on Friday. “It is not clear if this person is politically involved in any way, although their motivation was obviously an attack on foreigners.” The motive is unknown, but a right background to the crime is being examined.
The alleged 69-year-old French perpetrator was not recorded as a right-wing extremist by the security authorities, Darmanin said. “At the moment I’m speaking, I can’t say that he was known for right-wing extremist acts, even if the findings and the procedure will of course allow us to examine this in the coming hours.” The man acted alone and had a number of weapons as a marksman.
Two dead in cultural center
According to the Interior Minister, the attacker shot dead two people in front of a Kurdish cultural center during the attack, and there was another fatality in a nearby restaurant. Three other people were injured, one critically. None of the victims were known to the French police authorities.
According to the daily newspaper “Le Figaro” The suspect is said to have been the victim of a 2016 burglary in which he attacked the intruder and stabbed him. He was tried for the case before prosecutors appealed, with no further details known about the case at this time. The second case is said to have been heard on December 8, 2021. The arrested man is said to have cut several tents in a migrant camp in Paris with a saber. He was charged with racially motivated violence with weapons and intent.
Mayor of Paris commemorates victims
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo spoke of an act by a right-wing extremist. “The Kurdish community, and through it all Parisians, have been targeted by these killings, committed by a far-right activist,” Hidalgo wrote on Twitter on Friday. “The Kurds, wherever they live, must be able to live in peace and security. More than ever, Paris stands by them in these dark hours.”
The public prosecutor’s office is investigating for murder and serious violence. The judicial police is initially responsible, not the terror prosecutor’s office.
Note: The article is continuously updated due to the situation.
Other sources: “BFMTV”, “Le Figaro”, “Le Parisian”.