PARIS – A hijabi Muslim woman was killed while sitting in her car in Pantin, Seine-Saint-Denis, on Friday night, after a shooter fired five bullets, killing her immediately.
“No damage was found on the vehicle which suggests that the individual put his arm inside the car and made this point blank shot, reported Agence France Presse from a source close to the investigation.
According to police reports, the woman was hit by five bullets, two of which were fired at her head at close range.
The shots were reportedly fired by a person on a scooter who fled the scene.
Though the victim was wearing a hijab, police ruled out Islamophobia.
An investigation for murder is underway and headed by the criminal brigade of the judicial police in Paris.
France is home to a Muslim community of nearly six million, the largest in Europe, according to Agence France Presse.
French Muslims have been complaining of restrictions on performing their religious practices.
A report released earlier this year by France’s National Human Rights Commission (CNCDH) revealed that anti-Muslim attacks tripled over the past year, reaching a new peak in the most Muslim-populated European country.
Making a 223 percent increase, a total of 429 anti-Muslim threats or hate crimes were reported last year, up from 133 in 2014.