A gunman firing from his car killed one person and wounded four in the Paris suburb of Trappes on Friday, authorities said, with at least two victims from immigrant backgrounds. 

The prosecutors are investigating the case as a potential "terrorist" act.

The man, who was arrested shortly after, was "firing at random, wanting to cause a bloodbath" as he drove through Trappes and neighboring La Verriere, Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh told broadcaster BFMTV.

A 12-year-old girl was "seriously wounded" after being shot eight times, but is in stable condition, said Nicolas Dainville, mayor of La Verriere.

The alleged shooter - a 39-year-old man, according to a source familiar with the case - was arrested in the nearby town of Coignieres. 

Rabeh said that while the man was firing in a "relatively random" manner, the person killed was "of African origin" and one of the wounded, "in critical condition, is of north African origin."

The mayor added that he did not want to say anything "definitive" about the motive yet but added that it was a "miracle" that there were not more casualties.

Prosecutors said they have opened an investigation for "murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise."

They added that they were investigating whether the acts targeted the "real or supposed race, ethnicity, nationality or religion" of the victims.

A police source told reporters that the man had fired in bursts from his vehicle around 10:30 am (0830 GMT).

Samy, a resident of Trappes, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) west of Paris, said he saw a body on the ground from his window.

His mother, he said, saw a gray Renault Clio car speeding by and heard "loud bangs."

Writing on X, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the case was "very serious" and that "all resources of the security forces and the judiciary are fully mobilized."

President Emmanuel Macron said "the nation is standing with" the victims of this "terrible ordeal."

The shooting came with France on edge following riots on the sidelines of mass protests over the cost of living, which saw some of the worst street violence in recent years.

More protests are expected this weekend, with police promising a larger presence, after a week of overnight curfews put in place in cities throughout the country.