Masked gunmen firing “Kalashnikovs machine guns and a shotgun” have killed one person at a wedding in France and left at least five more wounded.
The horrifying attack happened around 1am today at the Eden Palace venue in Thionville, in the north east of France close to the German border.
A local police source told French media a group of people had left the wedding party to smoke outside the building when a 4X4 “BMW” vehicle sped up towards them.
Le Parisien reports “three heavily armed guys arrived and opened fire several dozen times in their direction”, and officers investigating said witness testimonies have mentioned “two Kalashnikovs and a pump-action shotgun” used in the attack.
Around 100 people are said to have attended the nuptials, which are thought to have taken place between members of the local Turkish community.
Authorities said a man in his 30s who was shot died on his way to hospital, and three more of those hit by bullets remain in a critical condition.
Among those lightly injured in the ordeal were a pregnant woman who was said to have gone into a shock, and another man who was injured by shards of glass.
Le Républicain lorrain newspaper said the area had been placed into lockdown under the control of the French Organised and Specialised Crime Directorate (DCOS).
Photographs from the scene today show police investigators scouring the site for evidence. Gunshot holes can clearly be seen in what look like the glass automatic doors of the venue.
According to police, it is not yet known where the 4X4 used by the masked gunmen originated from, and the location of Thionville close to both the German and Belgian border meant officers were considering all possibilities.
It’s understood the Eden Palace has CCTV and detectives will be scanning recordings in the hope of gathering clues to help them find the shooters.