A wedding celebration turned into a scene of horror when masked gunmen attacked a wedding party in the early hours of Sunday in the small village of Goult, southeastern France, killing a 27-year-old bride and injuring three others, including a 13-year-old child.
The attack occurred around 4:30am local time as the bride and groom were leaving the village hall. According to authorities, the couple were ambushed by several armed assailants, one of whom also died during the violence — reportedly hit "in return", though earlier accounts suggest he may have been run over by the couple’s car while trying to flee.
The groom, 25, and the child remain seriously injured. Another adult also sustained injuries. A total of 28 people had been attending the wedding celebration when the shooting unfolded.
Avignon prosecutor Florence Galtier confirmed that the attackers, armed with multiple weapons, arrived by car and escaped on foot. The authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into murder and attempted murder by an organised gang. Early leads suggest a potential link to drug-related score-settling.
Several police vehicles sealed off the area on Sunday morning, and a helicopter was deployed to assist in the search for the remaining gunmen.
The incident has stunned the peaceful hilltop village, which is known for its postcard charm and rarely sees violent crime.
"I'm angry. I'm outraged," said Goult’s mayor, Didier Perello. “I'm ruling nothing out. Absolutely nothing,” he added, suggesting the possibility of criminal rivalries spilling over from nearby towns. “Unfortunately, we've already seen this kind of thing before.”
The couple, who reportedly rented the village hall back in March, were not residents of the commune.
Locals fear the shooting could permanently mar the village’s image. "The last major incident in the village was 125 years ago," said Guillaume Molinas, a local restaurant owner.
The French government has recently pledged to ramp up its crackdown on narcotics and gang violence, amid growing concern over the rise in drug-related incidents across the country.
The attack occurred around 4:30am local time as the bride and groom were leaving the village hall. According to authorities, the couple were ambushed by several armed assailants, one of whom also died during the violence — reportedly hit "in return", though earlier accounts suggest he may have been run over by the couple’s car while trying to flee.
The groom, 25, and the child remain seriously injured. Another adult also sustained injuries. A total of 28 people had been attending the wedding celebration when the shooting unfolded.
Avignon prosecutor Florence Galtier confirmed that the attackers, armed with multiple weapons, arrived by car and escaped on foot. The authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into murder and attempted murder by an organised gang. Early leads suggest a potential link to drug-related score-settling.
Several police vehicles sealed off the area on Sunday morning, and a helicopter was deployed to assist in the search for the remaining gunmen.
The incident has stunned the peaceful hilltop village, which is known for its postcard charm and rarely sees violent crime.
"I'm angry. I'm outraged," said Goult’s mayor, Didier Perello. “I'm ruling nothing out. Absolutely nothing,” he added, suggesting the possibility of criminal rivalries spilling over from nearby towns. “Unfortunately, we've already seen this kind of thing before.”
The couple, who reportedly rented the village hall back in March, were not residents of the commune.
Locals fear the shooting could permanently mar the village’s image. "The last major incident in the village was 125 years ago," said Guillaume Molinas, a local restaurant owner.
The French government has recently pledged to ramp up its crackdown on narcotics and gang violence, amid growing concern over the rise in drug-related incidents across the country.
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