Masked gunmen kill bride in France

(MENAFN) A tragic shooting occurred on a bride’s wedding night in the village of Goult, near the southeastern French city of Avignon, when masked gunmen opened fire, local authorities report. The 27-year-old bride was killed during the attack, while the groom, aged 25, and a 13-year-old child sustained serious injuries.

During the incident, one of the suspected assailants was also killed in what officials describe as an exchange of gunfire. Several other suspects who arrived by car fled on foot after the shooting, prompting a large-scale manhunt involving dozens of police officers and a helicopter.

French media suggest the violence may be connected to drug-related score-settling.

Authorities have launched investigations into murder and attempted murder.

According to initial reports, the shooting happened around 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT) as the couple were leaving the wedding party held at the village hall. There was earlier confusion about whether an attacker had been run over by the couple’s car, but the prosecutor clarified that the suspect was hit during the gunfire exchange.

Police say 28 people were present in the hall at the time of the shooting, with one woman sustaining minor injuries.

Local Mayor Didier Perello stated that the hall had been booked in March by people who do not live in the village. Expressing his outrage, he noted, “we're close to towns… where unfortunately, we've seen this kind of thing before.”

Guillaume Molinas, a local restaurant owner, expressed concern that the deadly event could tarnish the reputation of the small village, home to around 1,000 residents. He recalled that the last major incident there occurred 125 years ago.

MENAFN23062025000045017281ID1109709692