Macron condemns racist terrorist attack in Trappes as terrorism inquiry opens

French prosecutors have opened a terrorism investigation after a gunman opened fire in Trappes, west of Paris, killing one person and injuring several others. The suspect has been arrested. Officials said he fired bursts from an automatic weapon from his car. Local authorities believe he intended to cause mass casualties. The attack unfolded over some 15 minutes, according to reports.

President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene this evening and called the shooting a racist terrorist attack. He said the victims had been targeted because of their skin colour or their perceived religion and for no other reason. He also said the attack marked a turning point for the country and urged the public not to give in to ideologies taking root.

One person was killed. Reports on the number injured varied between four and five. The latest account said five people were hurt, including a 12-year-old girl who was fighting for her life in hospital. The person killed was of African heritage, and one of the injured was of North African heritage, according to details reported after the attack.

The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office is handling the case as a terrorist investigation. The shooting has come during a tense period in France, six months before a presidential election in which the far right are seen as potential winners. The country has also faced widespread social unrest. Separately, France is preparing to deploy 70,000 police nationwide on Saturday, about 20 percent more than usual, ahead of planned protests after last weekend's demonstrations turned violent. Some shops and businesses have boarded up, and some cities have banned or restricted rallies. Macron has met his defence council and representatives of high school pupils whose protests over poor school conditions helped spark the unrest.