Who was Pengo Bossio Wangi, an MMA fighter, shot dead during the racist terrorist attack in Trappes?
French fighter Pengo Bossio Wangi was the target of a racist terrorist attack that occurred on Friday, October 23, in Trappes and La Verrière in Yvelines. The 26-year-old amateur fighter was a prominent figure at his MMA club, Atch Academy in Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis).
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While peacefully walking in Yvelines, between Trappes and La Verrière, Pengo Bossio Wangi was struck by gunfire from Kévin T, the perpetrator of the racist terrorist attack, which also left five injured, including a 12-year-old girl.
The young athlete, originally from Poissy, grew up in Yvelines. Passionate about MMA, he had been training at Atch Academy in Aubervilliers for three years. It was at this club that he regularly practiced and had already participated in welterweight (-77 kg) and middleweight (-84 kg) fights, boasting a record of three wins and four losses. On its Instagram account, Atch Academy paid tribute to one of its members. “Pengo was part of our family. On the mat and off it, he was a role model: always present, respectful, and ready to encourage others. His smile, energy, and generosity will remain etched in our hearts and in our walls.”
He aspired to become a professional fighter
Killed by bullets fired from an automatic weapon from a car, Pengo Bossio Wangi was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Smiling and caring, those who knew him remember a man determined to succeed as a professional fighter. “From Yvelines, he made the effort to come almost every day (in the evenings to the club). He traveled about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there and the same for the return, for two hours of training. He was heading towards a professional career: such dedication to this sport is rare,” said Stéphane Chaufourier, the founder of the club where the young man trained, to AFP.
"When we heard the news, we were deeply affected, as he was a fighter who always came with a smile and interacted a lot with his teammates," he added.
Pengo, who grew up in foster care, saw MMA as a means of social escape, confided one of his close friends. Radiant, friendly, and close to his family, he often took care of his sister's children. A minute of silence is scheduled for this Saturday evening at Aubervilliers during the 100% Fight tournament in his honor, followed by a white march on Sunday at 2 PM.
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