Paris-area shooting suspect placed under psychiatric observation to assess fitness for interrogation

On Friday, a man drove through Trappes, a town west of Paris, and began firing from his car window. He then continued to nearby La Verrière and kept shooting. One person died and five were wounded. By Sunday, the man suspected of carrying out the attack had left police custody and been placed under psychiatric observation, according to France's National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office, known as PNAT.

The office said the aim is to determine whether the suspect's "psychiatric health is compatible with pursuing his interrogation." The step followed guidance from a psychiatric expert. The evaluation will also decide whether he stays in police custody, and PNAT said it is likely to last 48 hours. French media have named the suspect as Kevin T, aged 39.

PNAT also reported that tests found cannabis and cocaine in his bloodstream. Le Monde and the AFP news agency, citing a source close to the investigation, reported that a Bible, a Quran and a copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf were found at his home. Those reports rest on a single unnamed source rather than an official statement.

The attack appeared to target people of migrant origin. President Emmanuel Macron called it a "racist terrorist attack" and said people had been picked out because of their skin colour or religion. He described it as a "turning point in the life of our Republic and our nation."

The man killed was Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old French-Congolese martial artist, named on Saturday. The mixed martial arts club where he trained paid tribute to him. "On the mats as off them, he was one of those who lead by example: present, respectful, always ready to lift others up," the club said. It added that his smile, energy and generosity would remain "etched in our walls and in our hearts."

Wangi's lawyer has objected to the psychiatric step. He told French media that placing a suspect under observation in this way is "very rare," and alleged it is being used to portray the suspect as criminally irresponsible rather than as someone who acted deliberately. PNAT has not been quoted in the source responding to that claim.

Of the five people injured, three were taken to hospital in serious condition. They include a 12-year-old girl who remained in critical condition. On Sunday, La Verrière's mayor, Nicolas Dainville, told France Info he had spoken by phone with the girl's mother and confirmed that she was "doing better." He said another injured resident was recovering, while a third remained in critical condition.

Local media report that the suspect was known to police before the attack but not to France's intelligence services. PNAT previously said he had four earlier convictions, all of which had been "automatically expunged." He is thought to have used an old semi-automatic weapon, firing in bursts from the car window.

The next two days matter most. The psychiatric evaluation will determine whether he can continue to be questioned and whether he remains in custody, and the dispute over what the step means is likely to follow the case as it proceeds.