Bride shot dead at wedding party in French village
A 27-year-old bride was shot to death as she left her wedding celebrations in a small French village in the early hours of Sunday.
Authorities have not released the woman's name. Her husband, 25, and a 13-year-old child were also seriously wounded in the attack, which took place at 4.30 a.m. local time (10.30 p.m. ET Saturday), according to a statement from local prosecutor Florence Galtier, published Sunday.
The couple were married on Saturday and celebrated with around 100 guests, before getting into a car to leave the venue in Goult, a village to the east of the city of Avignon in southeastern France.
'A vehicle pulled in behind them, blocking their way, with a number of hooded individuals on board,' the statement from the prosecutor said.
'These people then got out of the vehicle and started shooting in the direction of the victims, with what appear to be have been various different kinds of weapons,' it continues.
One of the assailants died in the attack, while the rest fled the scene on foot, according to the statement, which adds that another wedding guest was also slightly injured.
Prosecutors said autopsies are scheduled to be performed at the beginning of the week, and that they have launched an investigation on charges of murder committed by an organized criminal group and attempted murder as part of an organized criminal group.
Local mayor Didier Perello told CNN affiliate BFMTV that the shooting is unprecedented.
'Goult is a quiet village, which has never experienced events of this type. Twenty-four hours later, we are still in shock (…), it is above all anger that drives us today,' he said.
BFMTV also reported that a third person died overnight into Sunday in a separate shooting in Avignon, but it is not clear whether the two incidents are connected.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Security guard kills Michigan church gunman, preventing 'large-scale mass shooting'
An alleged active shooter intent on attacking a Michigan church on Sunday was shot and killed by a security guard who "prevented a large-scale mass shooting," police said. The shooting unfolded around 11:15 a.m. local time at the CrossPointe Community Church in the Detroit suburb of Wayne, according to the Wayne Police Department. "We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church's staff members who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting," Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said during a press conference on Sunday. The gunman was identified as Brian Anthony Browning, 31, from Romulus, Michigan. His motivations are unknown, according to police, though officials said he appeared to be suffering from a mental health crisis. Browning had no criminal history. His mother is a member of the church and the suspect attended two or three services over the course of the last year, police said. Police said the suspect exited his Nissan truck wearing a tactical vest, armed with a long gun and a handgun, when he approached the church building and began firing his weapon. Several staff members from the church approached the gunman, police said, adding that a parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly. At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing fatal wounds. One staff member, a member of the security team, was shot once in the leg by the suspect. They underwent a successful surgery and are expected to recover, police said. The church staff members do not wish to be identified, police said. At this point, the Wayne Police Department is still investigating this incident, with the assistance of multiple local, state and federal partners. A bomb-sniffing dog was brought to the scene by the Michigan State Police and a police bomb squad was also brought to the scene, according to officials, but there was no immediate confirmation from police that explosives were involved in the incident. "Our leadership and support teams are on the ground, at the scene, in Wayne, Michigan providing assistance and investigative support," FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a statement. The church shooting came during a heightened threat environment across the country following the U.S. attack overnight in Iran that destroyed or severely degraded three of Iran's nuclear facilities, according to White House officials. Police said, "There is no evidence to believe that this act of violence has any connection with the conflict in the Middle East." Acknowledging the heightened threat environment, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that "it is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict." "The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crime," Noem said. MORE: Amid recent string of attacks inspired by Israel-Hamas war, some experts worry counterterrorism not a priority The attack in Wayne came in the wake of a public bulletin the Department of Homeland Security issued after the U.S. strikes in Iran, warning that "low-level cyber attacks" against U.S. targets "are likely" and that extremists inside the U.S. would be more likely to turn to violence if Iranian leadership calls for such retaliation. The bulletin further urges the public to report any suspicious activity. It was not immediately known if the church attack has any connection to the U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. MORE: Minnesota lawmakers assassination timeline: 'He stalked his victims like prey' The attack occurred about a half-hour after Sunday-morning services at CrossPointe Community Church started, according to police. Officers arriving at the scene quickly evacuated the church after learning that a security guard stopped the attack by shooting and killing the suspect, according to police. The suspect's name was not immediately released. The security guard was also not immediately identified by authorities. ABC News' Luke Barr, Pierre Thomas, Mariama Jalloh, Victoria Arancio and Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Willard man arrested in shooting of 19-year-old in west Springfield
A suspect has been arrested after a 19-year-old was found with a gunshot wound in the early hours of Sunday, June 22. Springfield police officers responded to a report of a shooting at 4:14 a.m. Sunday at 2034 W. Webster St., according to a Springfield Police Department news release. Officers found 19-year-old Lavontae Bennett, of Springfield, with a gunshot wound. He died at the scene, according to the release. Bodee Melton, 22, was arrested Sunday afternoon in connection with the murder. The Willard man was booked into Greene County Jail for second degree murder. The case will be presented to the Greene County Prosecutor's Office for review of charges. More: Police investigate murder-suicide at apartment with 4 juveniles present, unharmed Detectives continue to investigate and ask anyone with additional information about this incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477) or online at This is Springfield's sixth homicide investigation in 2025, according to the release. Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@ This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield shooting kills one, results in arrest of Willard man
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
19-year-old suspect in custody after shooting at Connecticut mall leaves 5 people injured
A suspect was taken into custody in a shooting at a Waterbury, Connecticut, mall that left five people wounded, police said. Police responded to the Brass Mill Center Mall at about 4:43 p.m. Tuesday after reports of shots being fired. When officers arrived, they located five victims with gunshot wounds. The suspected gunman has been identified as Tajuan Washington, 19, of Waterbury, Waterbury Police Department Chief Fernando Spagnolo said at a news conference Wednesday morning. Washington is being held on $2 million bond and was charged with five counts of first-degree assault and "a number of weapons violation charges," according to police. The investigation is ongoing. Washington was scheduled to appear in court later Wednesday morning. Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski said Wednesday that three of the five victims had been released from the hospital. Two remained hospitalized. The most seriously injured victim was struck in the spine, but she "now has feeling in her lower extremities" and "hopefully she does not find herself paralyzed." At the news conference, Pernerewski encouraged the public to return to the mall, saying the shooting was not a random act of violence and involved "two young men who knew each other, had a history, a past." "They got into a beef here," he said. "The perpetrator, instead of having what would have at one time been a fist fight, but because he was armed, came out with a pistol, shot the guy he was having a problem with and the four women who were with him as well." The mall has been searched and secured and "there's nothing to worry about here," he said, adding the city was "obviously very shaken, but we're not broken," the mayor added. "Within minutes, the state's largest police force, the Connecticut State Police, was on scene assisting the Waterbury Police Department," Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell Higgins told reporters. "That collaboration and cooperation isn't just something that happens in emergencies. That is something that happens regularly here in the city of Waterbury between the state and local and federal law enforcement officials. "Gun violence is not something we will ever accept. It is not OK to come to a mall and then find yourself a victim of gun violence. It is not OK for someone to come here to work and then find themselves hiding, sheltering in place." Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said of Waterbury, "This is great city, and it is a city that is safe and getting safer." "This is a terrible tragedy. Hearts and prayers go out to those that were hit, hit hard. I think they're all going to be OK, fingers crossed. Prayers out there," the governor said, crediting the Waterbury police for getting to arriving within three minutes. "This type of crime is just shocking to me," Lamont said. "A lot of this crime, it maybe is one-off, but they know each other. This is not random acts of violence. This started out with some sort of a beef, some sort of an argument. And rather than ending up with a fisticuff, someone pulls out a semiautomatic and shoots seven rounds and badly wounds five people." The governor said work needs to be done in the community to root out "sources of friction," but he told the public, "I want you back in this mall." Waterbury police announced in a Facebook post late Tuesday that "detectives have identified a person of interest, and he is in police custody at this time." Spagnolo told reporters Tuesday that none of the victims were fatally wounded, and all of them were transported and treated at area hospitals. "We do not believe this was a random act of violence," Spagnolo said Tuesday. "We believe this started as a conflict and it escalated. We do know that there was one gunman at this time [whom] we've identified. That gunman was armed with a semi-automatic pistol." The chief also said evidence was recovered that helped to identify the type of weapon used and "hopefully" the shooter, through various investigative means and forensic technology. State Police, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are assisting police with the investigation, which includes the collection of video and digital evidence. "This is going to be a very lengthy and ongoing and active investigation," Spagnolo said. He also said there is no danger to the public, though he advised anyone to report anything suspicious to the police. Lamont called the shooting "tragic" in a post on X. "This afternoon there was a tragic mass shooting at the Bass Mill Center in Waterbury, a place where everyone should feel safe. We are grateful to law enforcement, who acted swiftly," the governor wrote. "Details are still forthcoming, but the @CT_STATE_POLICE will be assisting @WaterburyPD with the investigation. Our hearts break for the Waterbury community, the victims, and their families who have been impacted by this incident."
