Bride Killed in Gun Attack on Wedding Party in Southern France
Masked gunmen open fire at wedding reception near Avignon, killing bride and injuring several others
- A 27-year-old bride was fatally shot and several others wounded
- Authorities say one of the suspected attackers was also killed
- Police have launched a murder and attempted murder investigation
A 27-year-old bride was fatally shot and several others wounded when masked gunmen opened fire on a wedding celebration in the village of Goult, near Avignon in south-eastern France, early Sunday morning.
Authorities say one of the suspected attackers was also killed, while the groom, 25, and a 13-year-old child sustained serious injuries. A woman was lightly hurt.
The attack took place around 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT) as the newlyweds were leaving the village hall where the reception was held. According to the Avignon prosecutor, the gunmen arrived by car and fled on foot after the shooting.
Initial speculation suggested one assailant may have been run over by the couple’s vehicle, but officials later confirmed he was killed “in the exchange” of gunfire.
Police have launched a murder and attempted murder investigation and are currently searching for the remaining suspects, using both ground units and a helicopter. Authorities have not confirmed a motive, though French media reports suggest a possible link to drug-related score-settling.
The hall had been rented months earlier by individuals not from the local area, according to Goult Mayor Didier Perello. “I’m outraged,” he said. “We’re near towns where we’ve sadly seen this kind of violence before.”
The shooting has shocked the quiet village of roughly 1,000 residents. “The last major incident here was 125 years ago,” local restaurant owner Guillaume Molinas told AFP. “Now this may give our village a bad name.”
Police say 28 guests were present during the attack. The area remains sealed off as forensic teams continue their investigation.
