One person has been killed and a further four injured after a shooting in a Paris surburb, French authorities have confirmed.
A suspect has been arrested near the town of Trappes, in western Paris, and been taken into police custody.
The force said no motive has been established yet, though the suspect is understood to live in a nearby town.
Ali Rabeh, the mayor of the Yvelines town of Trappes, told BFMTV a man had fired shots from his car and “appeared to be firing at random and seemed intent on carrying out a massacre”.
He confirmed the person killed was of African origin.
Mr Rabeh also said one of those injured was a 12-year-old girl, and another injured was of North African descent.
“It is a miracle that there were not more victims,” the mayor said, noting the suspect allegedly opened fire on numerous locations, including a children’s playground.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on social media: “Very serious events have just occurred in Trappes, in the Yvelines. One person has been killed and four others injured.
“The individual has been apprehended and placed in police custody.
“All resources of the security forces and the judicial authority are fully mobilized. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office has announced that it is monitoring the situation.
“The competent authorities will communicate in due course.”
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It comes as France braces for yet another day of protests, as violent far-left rioters continue to rock the nation.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez held a press conference this morning, again condemning calls from the far-left for further violence.
Some 70,000 security forces will be mobilised over the weekend to maintain order, he confirmed.
Museums are also set to close their doors in preparation for another weekend of unrest.
Shopkeepers throughout Paris are said to be stocking up on self-defence weapons, with gun shops telling The Times they had noticed a rise in “pepper-gel” sales.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to meet with school unions before the weekend in a last ditch attempt to squash the anticipated violence and unrest over the weekend.
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