Credited from: SCMP
In a tragic event that unfolded early Sunday, a wedding celebration in the village of Goult, southeastern France, became a site of violence when masked gunmen opened fire, killing a 27-year-old bride. The attack occurred shortly after 4:30 AM local time as the newlyweds were leaving the party, leading to initial reports stating that one of the assailants was killed, possibly run over by the couple's car during their escape, according to CBS News and South China Morning Post.
The violent incident left the groom, a 25-year-old man, and a 13-year-old child among the injured, with serious wounds reported. Witnesses noted that a total of 28 individuals were present at the wedding when the shootings occurred. Local police have initiated a large-scale operation, deploying dozens of officers and a helicopter to locate the suspects, who reportedly fled the scene on foot after arriving by car, as stated by Dawn and India Times.
The investigation is being conducted by the Avignon prosecutor's office, who are exploring potential connections to drug-related activities, which has raised concerns about ongoing gang violence in the region. Mayor Didier Perello expressed his outrage, emphasizing that Goult is a peaceful village that rarely experiences such incidents, lending weight to fears about the community's image being affected by this tragic event, as reported by BBC and Le Monde.