
A tragic incident has occurred in a village near the city of Avignon in southeastern France, where a bride was shot dead on her wedding night after masked gunmen opened fire, local authorities announced.
One of the suspected attackers was killed during an armed clash, while the groom and a 13-year-old child were seriously injured.
French police have launched a major operation to capture other suspects who managed to escape, with dozens of officers and a helicopter involved in the pursuit.
French media reports that the violence may be linked to a drug-related feud.
Authorities have opened an investigation into murder and attempted murder.
According to the AFP agency , at around 4:30 am on Sunday, the 27-year-old bride and 25-year-old groom were leaving the wedding party at the Goult village hall when unknown persons opened fire on them.
It was initially reported that one of the assailants may have been hit by the couple's car, but Avignon prosecutor Florence Galtier clarified that the suspect was killed " during the exchange of gunfire ."
The remaining attackers, who had arrived by car, fled on foot after the shooting, according to the prosecutor.
Police said that 28 people were in the hall at the time of the attack, another woman suffered minor injuries during the incident.
The hall had been reserved since March "for a wedding by people who are not residents of the municipality," explained the mayor, Didier Perello.
“I am outraged,” he said.
"We are near several cities, which I won't mention, where unfortunately we have seen such cases before."
Guillaume Molinas, 50, owner of a local restaurant, said he feared the deadly attack would give the village of about 1,000 residents "a bad name."
"The last serious attack on this village happened 125 years ago," he told AFP, without giving further details.