A bride was shot dead at her own wedding while her husband and two guests were injured after being ambushed by a gang of masked men.
The newlyweds had tied the knot at a venue in Goult, France, and had partied the night away with their loved ones before horror struck.
Gunshots rang out in the quiet village in the French city of Avignon in the early hours of Sunday (22 June) morning at around 4.30am as the couple left their wedding bash.
As the bride, 27, and groom, 25, attempted to leave the venue, another vehicle reportedly blocked their route before several masked gunmen emerged from the car.
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The attackers are said to have fired multiple shots with various types of weapons in a 'mafia-style' assault on the happy couple.
One of the assailants was killed in the ensuing exchange of fire, according to Avignon prosecutor Florence Galtier.
A statement from the prosecutor explained: "A vehicle pulled in behind [the couple], blocking their way, with a number of hooded individuals on board.
"These people then got out of the vehicle and started shooting in the direction of the victims, with what appear to be have been various different kinds of weapons."
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Three other gunmen fled on foot, prompting police to launch a huge manhunt across Goult - and two suspects were later arrested, while cops continue to hunt the third.
During the shooting, the bride tragically sustained a fatal gun shot wound, while her new husband was seriously wounded during the incident.
A 13-year-old child was also seriously injured, while a woman was also wounded.
Police said 28 people were still present at the wedding venue when the shocking incident unfolded.
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According to Goult's mayor, Didier Perello, the couple 'don't live in the town' but had booked their nuptials at the village hall back in March.
Sharing his horror in regards to the deadly shooting, he said: "I'm outraged. Goult is a peaceful village. We’re close to towns where, unfortunately, we’ve seen this kind of thing before - but never here.
"We are still in shock...it is above all, anger, that drives us today."
Police have now launched a murder investigation in wake of the bride's death, but details of the suspects in custody have not been released to the public.
Local media reports have suggested that the incident could be linked to drug-related score-settling, according to the BBC.
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Residents in Goult have now been left terrified that the incident will give the village - which is home to around 1,000 people - a 'bad name'.
Restaurant owner Guillaume Molinas, 50, told AFP: "The last major incident in the village was 125 years ago."
Topics: Crime, Weddings, World News
Olivia Burke