Shooting in Rennes: Four Injured, District on Edge as Criminal Investigation Unfolds

A violent shooting erupted in the Villejean district of Rennes on Thursday, April 17, leaving four people injured—one of them critically. The Rennes public prosecutor’s office has opened a criminal investigation for “attempted murder as part of an organized group.”

Gunfire in Broad Daylight, Restaurant Targeted

Around 5:15 p.m., a car struck a pedestrian in Villejean before its occupants, armed with long and short firearms, chased several individuals and opened fire in the street. The attackers then targeted a group seated on the terrace of a Subway restaurant. As the victims rushed inside for cover, gunmen followed and fired inside the establishment, injuring three young men in the legs and abdomen.

The first victim, the pedestrian hit by the car—an Italian man in his twenties—remains in critical condition as of Friday. Witnesses reported a scene of chaos, with automatic weapons being fired in a busy area.

Four Suspects in Custody After Coordinated Attack

Following the shootings, the assailants fled in a Peugeot 2008 toward the RN12 highway. A first suspect, aged 20 and already known to police, was arrested near a burning vehicle around 7:25 p.m. That night, three more suspects—aged 21 to 23—were apprehended by RAID officers in an apartment believed to be a hideout. Two are from Tours, the third from Marseille.

All four are in custody on charges of “attempted murder by an organized group” and “criminal conspiracy.” The investigation is now being led by the interregional prosecutor’s office in Rennes.

A Neighborhood Scarred by Drug-Related Violence

Villejean has been plagued by repeated shootings linked to drug trafficking in recent months. Investigators from the organized crime unit are focusing on the hypothesis of a gang-related retaliation.

Charles Compagnon, a local opposition councillor who witnessed the attack from inside the restaurant, described the moment:

“I saw the gunman raise his weapon. My colleague pulled me down, and then I heard the shots, the screaming, the blood… It was horrifying.”

Authorities Respond with Increased Security

In response to the incident, authorities deployed riot police to the area. CRS unit 82 was sent to Villejean Thursday evening and will remain “as long as necessary,” the Interior Minister announced on X.

Amaury de Saint-Quentin, prefect of Brittany and Ille-et-Vilaine, also visited the neighborhood:

“It’s the State’s responsibility to put an end to this violence and restore safety for residents who have suffered too long.”