A 39-year-old man suspected of carrying out a shooting attack in the Paris suburbs was released from police custody and placed under psychiatric observation, according to France’s National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office. The evaluation is expected to last approximately 48 hours and will assess whether the suspect’s psychiatric condition permits continued interrogation.
The attack occurred on Friday in Trappes and the adjacent La Verrière area. A gunman opened fire from a vehicle, resulting in one death and five injuries. The deceased victim was identified as Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old French-Congolese martial artist. Three of the injured individuals were hospitalized in serious condition, including a 12-year-old girl who remained in critical condition as of Sunday, though the mayor of La Verrière reported she was improving. A third injured person also remained in critical condition.
President Emmanuel Macron characterized the incident as a racist terrorist attack, stating that victims appeared to have been selected based on skin color or religion. He described the event as marking a significant turning point for the nation and republic. Investigators discovered that the suspect had cannabis and cocaine in his system at the time of the attack.
Searches of the suspect’s residence uncovered a Bible, a Quran, and a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, according to French media reports citing sources close to the investigation. The suspect allegedly used an older semi-automatic weapon, firing in bursts from his vehicle window. Prior records indicate he had been known to local police but not to French intelligence services, with four previous convictions that had been automatically expunged.
The suspect’s legal representative expressed that the decision to pursue psychiatric observation was unusual and argued it might be employed to suggest diminished criminal responsibility rather than deliberate intent.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI