Man targeted Muslims, Africans and North Africans, French prosecutors say

Prosecutor Olivier Christen said suspect admitted that he chose the location because it was ‘a hotbed for Islamists’.

Forensic investigators and police search for evidence after a shooting in Trappes, outside Paris, France, Friday, October 23, 2026 [Emma Da Silva/AP]

A man in France charged with murder and attempted murder has admitted he targeted individuals “who appeared to be Muslim, African, or North African”, prosecutors have said.

France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office confirmed on Thursday that the 39-year-old, identified as Kevin T, had been formally charged in connection with a “terrorist” enterprise. Prosecutor Olivier Christen said Kevin admitted he chose the location because it was “a hotbed for Islamists”.

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Before changing his position on Thursday, Kevin had disputed the racist nature of the attack.

One person was killed and seven others were injured last Friday when a man fired at people from his car as he drove through the towns of Trappes and La Verriere, west of Paris. He was arrested later that day. A child was among the victims, most of whom had foreign heritage.

The prosecutor said Kevin had stated that he felt “no regret” but that he did not intend to “kill children”. However, he added that he “might have been mistaken due to their size”.

Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old French citizen with Congolese heritage, was killed in the attack.

During a search of Kevin’s home, authorities found “weapons or weapon components, specifically a magazine, two pairs of brass knuckles, a steel bayonet, and a silencer”, officials said.

Police also found a copy of Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, along with a Quran, a Bible and stickers celebrating Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party . Kevin T had displayed a “very high level of preparation” ahead of the attack, according to prosecutor Christen.

He explained that in September, Kevin acquired “several weapon components designed to enhance the tactical effectiveness of a Sten submachine gun, as well as a police armband and handcuffs”.

The suspect said he was neither a member of nor a sympathiser with any political party, Christen added.

检察官奥利维尔·克里斯滕表示，嫌疑人承认他选择这个地点是因为那里是“伊斯兰主义者的温床”。

2026年10月23日星期五，在法国巴黎郊外的特拉普发生枪击事件后，法医调查人员和警察正在搜寻证据。[Emma Da Silva/AP]

检察官称，法国一名被控谋杀和谋杀未遂的男子承认，他的目标是“看起来像是穆斯林、非洲人或北非人”的人。

法国反恐检察官办公室周四证实，一名39岁的男子凯文·T（Kevin T）已被正式指控参与“恐怖主义”活动。检察官奥利维尔·克里斯滕（Olivier Christen）表示，凯文承认他选择该地点是因为那里是“伊斯兰主义者的温床”。

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在周四改变立场之前，凯文曾否认此次袭击具有种族主义性质。

上周五，一名男子驾车途经巴黎以西的特拉普和拉韦里耶两镇时，向人群开枪，造成一人死亡，七人受伤。该男子当天晚些时候被捕。遇难者中有一名儿童，他们大多具有外国血统。

检察官称，凯文表示他“不后悔”，但他并非有意“杀害儿童”。不过，检察官补充说，他“可能因为孩子的体型而误判了目标”。

26岁的法国公民彭戈·博西奥·旺吉（Pengo Bossio Wangi）拥有刚果血统，在袭击中丧生。

官员称，在搜查凯文的住所时，当局发现了“武器或武器部件，具体来说是一个弹匣、两副指节铜套、一把钢制刺刀和一个消音器”。

警方还发现了一本阿道夫·希特勒的著作《我的奋斗》，以及一本《古兰经》、《圣经》和一些宣传玛丽娜·勒庞极右翼政党“国民联盟”的贴纸。检察官克里斯滕表示，凯文·T在袭击前“准备得非常充分”。

他解释说，9 月份，凯文获得了“几件旨在增强斯登冲锋枪战术效能的武器部件，以及一条警用臂章和一副手铐”。

克里斯滕补充说，嫌疑人称他既不是任何政党的成员，也不是任何政党的同情者。