© AFP
One person was fatally shot and five others were wounded during an incident at a wedding in Thionville on Saturday night, according to police sources attributing the violence to drug trafficking.
Among the injured, two individuals sustained serious wounds, with one reported to be in critical condition, stated a police spokesperson. The perpetrators, described as several masked gunmen armed with firearms, fled the scene.
The shooting occurred at the Eden Palace, a venue specializing in weddings, where approximately a hundred people were gathered.
"As reported by a police source, the incident unfolded around 1.15am during a wedding reception. A group of individuals stepped outside to smoke when three heavily armed men arrived and fired multiple shots in their direction," the source detailed.
The assailants arrived in a 4X4 vehicle, likely a BMW, according to the same source. Authorities are investigating whether the vehicle originated from Germany or Luxembourg, located approximately fifteen kilometers away. "The incident appears to be linked to settling scores related to drug trafficking rather than a deliberate attack on the wedding event itself," the source commented.
Investigators were observed collecting samples from a vehicle at the scene by reporters on Sunday morning. At least three bullet holes were visible on a glass door leading into the expansive reception hall.
"Numerous shell casings were recovered from the site," noted the local daily Le Républicain lorrain.
The Eden Palace, which boasts a capacity to host 600 diners and accommodate 800 guests, is situated in a commercial zone outside Thionville.
The case has been assigned to the judicial police in Metz. The border region of Lorraine has been grappling with issues related to drug trafficking. In a separate incident in May 2023, shootings between rival gangs at a drug distribution point in Villerupt, in the neighboring department of Meurthe-et-Moselle, resulted in injuries to five individuals.
