A 39-year-old man admitted to targeting people of “Muslim, African or North African” appearance in a shooting near Paris last week that killed one person and injured seven, prosecutors said on Thursday.

The attack occurred on 23 October in Trappes and La Verrière, western suburbs of Paris, where the suspect, identified as Kevin T., fired from a car and on foot. Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old French-Congolese martial artist, was killed, while seven others, including an 11-year-old girl, were wounded. Three victims remained hospitalised on Thursday, one in critical condition.

Prosecutor Olivier Christen said Kevin T. acknowledged premeditation and chose Trappes because he viewed it as “a hotbed for Islamists.” Investigators found extensive preparation, including weapon components for a Sten submachine gun, a police armband, and handcuffs purchased in September. A search of his home in Plaisir uncovered magazines, brass knuckles, a bayonet, a silencer, a Quran, a Bible, and a copy of *Mein Kampf*, alongside stickers bearing nationalist slogans such as “Long live France, RN, proud to be French.”

Kevin T. told investigators he designed the stickers himself but denied membership in or support for any political party. He insisted his actions were “legitimate” and expressed no regret, though he claimed he had not intended to kill children, suggesting he may have misjudged their height.

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office charged him with murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, with an aggravating circumstance tied to the victims’ presumed origin or religion. President Emmanuel Macron called the attack a “racist terrorist act” and blamed far-right movements, including the National Rally, for fostering a climate of racism. RN lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy responded by accusing Macron of allowing “hateful ideologies” to flourish.

Kevin T. was placed in pre-trial detention on Thursday evening. His lawyers stated the judicial investigation would be lengthy due to the gravity of the charges.