Man admits targeting Muslims and Africans in Paris suburb shooting

A man in France has admitted to deliberately targeting individuals who appeared to be Muslim, African, or North African in a shooting attack, according to French prosecutors reported by Al Jazeera and France 24.

The suspect, charged with murder and attempted murder, fired from his car in the towns of Trappes and La Verriere, west of Paris, killing one person and injuring seven others, including a child. The victim who died was a French citizen of Congolese heritage.

Authorities found weapons and weapon components at the suspect's home, including a magazine, brass knuckles, a bayonet, and a silencer, as well as ideological materials such as Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, a Quran, a Bible, and stickers supporting a far-right political party.

Prosecutors noted the suspect showed a high level of preparation, having acquired weapon components and police gear before the attack. The man expressed no regret but said he did not intend to kill children, though he acknowledged he might have mistaken a child's size.

The attack occurred amid a tense political climate in France, with a presidential election scheduled for the following spring, according to France 24.

The suspect initially disputed the racist nature of the attack but later admitted to choosing the location because it was a 'hotbed for Islamists,' according to prosecutor Olivier Christen.