A 26-year-old mixed martial arts fighter, Pengo Bossio Wangi, was fatally shot in a suspected racially motivated attack in the Paris suburbs.
A 26-year-old amateur mixed martial arts fighter has been identified by his club as the man killed in a shooting in the Paris suburbs that French authorities have described as a suspected racist attack.
Atch Academy, based in Aubervilliers, north of Paris, identified the victim as Pengo Bossio Wangi in a tribute posted on Instagram. French authorities have not publicly released his identity.
“Pengo was one of us,” the club said, remembering him for his smile, energy and generosity. It also expressed grief over his death, saying that nothing could justify a life being taken in such circumstances.
The shooting took place on Friday, October 23, in Trappes and La Verrière, in the suburbs of the French capital. According to authorities, a gunman opened fire from a vehicle at three locations, killing Wangi and injuring at least five other people.
Among those wounded was a 12-year-old girl, officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the incident as “a racist terror attack”, saying the victims had been targeted because of their “skin color or perceived religion”.
A suspect was arrested shortly after the shooting, and France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office took charge of the investigation.
The authorities have not publicly disclosed the suspect’s identity or provided further details about the alleged motive. The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances of the shooting and whether the attack was motivated by racial or religious hatred.