Six injured in shooting in southeastern France
Paris, Aug 5
Six people were injured, two of them seriously, in a shooting in the southeastern French city of Valence on Tuesday night, French media reported Wednesday.
The shooting occurred at around 10:30 pm local time (2030 GMT), when a gunman opened fire on a group of people with an assault rifle before fleeing the scene in a vehicle, Franceinfo reported.
The six victims, five males and one female aged between 15 and 22, were taken to the hospital. Two of them were in serious condition, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The suspect remains at large. His identity and motive are not yet known, and an investigation is underway.
A burned-out vehicle believed to have been used in the attack was later found several kilometres from the scene.
On July 27, three people were injured in a knife attack in Paris, and a male suspect was arrested.
The attack occurred in northwestern Paris, where a man armed with two kitchen knives attacked passersby on the street. The victims received medical treatment, with two of them in critical condition.
The suspect was apprehended at the scene by an off-duty police officer. He had provided "only a self-reported identity" and was making "incoherent statements," French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told the media.
Nunez urged "great caution regarding the motives behind this extremely violent act."
Several videos of the incident have circulated on social media.
One video captured the suspect making a religious statement as he was being restrained.
"It is Allah who commanded me," the accused, lying on the floor, was heard saying in the video.
This incident occurred just a day after another Islamic radical attack in Germany, which left one woman dead and 29 others injured.
A van was driven into a crowd near Berlin's Tiergarten park. The driver then attacked passersby with a weapon believed to be a machete, leaving one woman dead and 29 others injured. The incident occurred near the site of the city's Christopher Street Day pride parade.
The suspect in the vehicle ramming and stabbing attack in Berlin was shot dead by police, local police said in a statement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is heartbreaking. The fact that the victims are so young makes it worse. I hope the French authorities catch the culprit soon. Also, the Paris knife attack and the Berlin incident show a pattern that needs serious international cooperation to address.
Why is the media always quick to link such attacks to religion when the suspect's motive is still unknown? The French minister himself urged caution. Let's wait for the investigation before jumping to conclusions. Sensationalism helps no one. 🤔
My heart goes out to the families of the victims. It's terrifying that such incidents are becoming more frequent in Europe. As an Indian, I feel we need to strengthen our own security measures too, but also pray for peace globally. Stay safe, everyone. 🕊️
The pattern of attacks in France and Germany is worrying. But we must be careful not to stigmatize any community. The real enemy is extremism, not any religion. I hope the French police find the perpetrator and bring justice to these innocent kids.
Such incidents remind us of the importance of global unity against terror. India has faced similar challenges for decades, and we know the pain. My condolences to the victims and their families. Let's hope for a speedy recovery for the injured. 🇮🇳🤝🇫🇷
N