Masked gunmen open fire at wedding hall in France: 1 dead, 5 injured

NEW DELHI: In a shocking incident that unfolded in the early hours of Sunday morning, a wedding ceremony in Thionville, northeastern France, turned into a scene of horror when masked gunmen opened fire, leaving one person dead and five others wounded, according to police sources.
The attack, which occurred at a reception hall with around a hundred guests in attendance, is believed to be connected to a settling of scores between drug traffickers.At approximately 1.15 am, a group of wedding attendees stepped outside to smoke when three heavily armed men arrived in what was described as a 4X4 vehicle, "probably a BMW," and opened fire in their direction.
Two of the wounded individuals sustained serious injuries, with one reported to be in critical condition. The assailants quickly fled the scene, and their vehicle's origin remains unclear, although Thionville's proximity to the borders of Luxembourg and Germany has been noted.
Law enforcement members suspect that the violence was not directly targeted at the wedding itself but rather at specific individuals present at the event. "The wedding was not targeted as such, it was people who were at the wedding," a police source stated. The aftermath of the shooting was evident on Sunday morning, with a glass door at the scene visibly pierced by bullet holes.
This incident follows another shooting in the nearby town of Villerupt in May 2023, where rival gangs clashed at a drug dealing point, resulting in five people being injured. The recent attack in Thionville further highlights the ongoing issue of drug-related violence in the region.