Suspect who shot Kurds in Paris says was motivated by racism
According to the report, the man named William M. was born on March 30, 1953 and held an ID card of an employee of the National Company of French Railways (SNCF).
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Suspect who shot Kurds in Paris says was motivated by racism
Le Journal du Dimanche reported on Friday that the suspect who opened fire in a Kurdish cultural center and killed three people earlier this morning said his actions were driven by "racism."
According to the report, the man named William M. was born on March 30, 1953, and held an ID card of an employee of the National Company of French Railways (SNCF).
According to Le Parisien, the suspect, a former train driver, had already been sentenced in 2017 to a six-month suspended prison sentence and banned from possessing a weapon for five years by the Bobigny judicial court. This same court sentenced him on June 30 for acts of violence with weapons committed in 2016, to which he later appealed.
A police source explains that William M. was however unknown to the files of territorial intelligence and the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI). Information confirmed this Friday afternoon by Gérald Darmanin that "He was known to the judicial services, but not listed as someone ultra right" adding that "this man was not part of any of the disbanded (extreme right) organizations. I cannot say that he was known for ultra-right acts."
On Friday morning, local sources reported that a 69-year-old man opened fire on the street in the 10th arrondissement of Paris at a Kurdish cultural center.
Three people died and another four were injured as a result of the shooting.
"The shooter has been arrested with his weapon. The danger is over," a police source told AFP. "His motives remain unknown at this stage."
Outraged over the incident, Kurds spontaneously gathered at the site of the crime and were faced by police officers who used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters.
Kurds blamed Turkey for the attack despite the clear knowledge that the gunman acted out of racism.
🔴🇫🇷 [ ALERTE INFO ] Des affrontements sont en cours dans le 10ème arrondissement de #Paris où a eu lieu l'attentat raciste commis par William M. qui a coûté la vie à 3 kurdes et blessé 3 autres. https://t.co/PLWWQnQsPH pic.twitter.com/tvDTJPbQPX
— [ Lies Breaker ] (@Lies_Breaker) December 23, 2022
